Deadly Curiosities (On hiatus poss rewrite in the future)
by werewolfbleu
Summary: In a post-apocalyptic world, TK a lone human female searches for the truth about the Xenomorphs and whether not her mother had a hand in turning the vicious Aliens loose upon the Earth. As if life wasn't hard enough between dodging Weyland goons and Aliens, TK's life takes an even darker turn when a new creature stalks the night and has chosen her as his prey. Yautja/human pairing
1. Chapter 1

**Think I'm Sick**

 _He's here._

The thought was fleeting and unimportant, all that mattered in this moment was finding Katie and getting her home safe. Of course _safe_ had become a foreign word in these dark times. The human race would never truly be _safe_ again and now with so few us there was little hope for the species survival. As if things weren't bad enough with Xenomorphs reeking havoc on the remaining populace, there were marauders, rather unconscionable human scum to contend with. The world goes to hell in a hand basket and out crawls human parasites far worse -in my opinion- than any Xenomorph. The aliens killed for food and breeding, the most basic of instincts. The marauders I was after attacked a small farming community, looting homes and burning the few crops the farmers managed to grow in this god forsaken wasteland. The dishonorable fucks took an eight year old girl as a prize, thus the reason for the hunt.

That had been two days ago and I'd just located my quarry. With the encroaching darkness, the marauders made camp in an old weigh station. Even they wouldn't risk traveling in the dark. A Xenomorphs prime hunting time is at night, however choosing the weigh station as a camp site was a mistake. It was too out in the open, no place to run or hide. The only thing they had going for them was the fact that the station was miles away from the nearest Hive. The aliens built their nests to the closest available food source, so the middle of bum-fuck-no-where seems optimal, except for the scouts. A Xenomorphs speed is unparalleled and they traveled great distances to locate their prey. I'd seen scouts as far out as twenty miles away from their Hive, seeking out new nesting grounds once they needed a better source of food.

My eyes scanned the nearly blanket thick night, illuminated only by the moon, stars and a small camp fire. Another hunter prowled the darkness this night, an eerily familiar and patient presence. I'd learned there were other creatures even more frightening than any Xenomorph or murderous human. He was familiar because I'd felt him watching me before. It started several weeks ago and for a short time, I thought I might just be going crazy, catching glimpses in my periphery, hearing strange clicks. Then I began hearing rumors of large, invisible creatures roaming the desert. The term _Predator_ reached my ears on more than one occasion along with stories of these invisible creatures hunting humans in secret for possibly hundreds of years. Why he hadn't outright killed me yet I knew not but whatever his reason I doubted he would pose a problem this night. I don't know how I came to this conclusion, it wasn't as if I could read his mind but I've survived alone since the age of twelve and relied solely on instinct. Instincts honed from a decade's worth of fighting, running and studying my enemies.

So for now, I would ignore the Predator at my back -if he was really at my back and not a scary figment of my imagination- and focused on the ones I knew I had a better chance at killing. Two men sat and drank merrily around the fire, their raised voices loud enough for me to hear them reveling in their _conquest._ I sneered at this, there was simply no honor in what they had done. Yet they laughed and joked as if regaling each other with stories of some great battle. Slaughtering a community made up of mostly elderly folk and children wasn't exactly World War III.

A third man walked the perimeter, several yards away from the camp. He would be my ticket in. Katie's grandmother April said four men were responsible for the destruction and the kidnapping of her granddaughter. So I had to assume that the fourth man was inside the weigh station. With Katie. I had to get her out of there.

An old black pickup sat parked a few yards to my immediate right. I'd followed behind on a dirt bike, trailing them for several hours until the sun began to go down. Once certain that they'd made camp I left the bike two miles back and continued the rest of the way on foot.

Quietly I made my way over to the truck, stashing my obvious weapons beneath the tarp that hid the goods they'd stolen. If I went in guns blazing they might kill the girl or hurt her to get me to comply. I'm not a trained assassin and doubted I could kill the three outside the station before the fourth sensed something was wrong. Besides, why use brute force when all I had to do was simply waltz right in.

Crouching I scooped up the red dry earth and rubbed it into my clothes and across my face. Pulling the chopsticks from my hair, I teased the long blonde tresses into a mess. I'm slight for a female, never growing past five feet or weighing more than a hundred and ten pounds. My heart shaped face and sky blue eyes were the only true feminine features about me. Cursed with the body of a twelve year old boy, I lacked sexy curves or a large bust. For once that may actually work in my favor, with a few adjustments I could appear much younger than twenty-four and someone in this group had a thing for little girls.

A shiver raced over my skin as I removed my black jacket and tossed it under the tarp. The bitter cold nipped at my exposed skin, the black tank insufficient for this type of weather. The point was to look harmless and helpless so I ignored the chill and purposely wandered in the direction of the male who patrolled the camp. When I spotted him again, I took a moment to size him up... and up... and up. He hadn't looked that tall the first time. Hello Victor Frankenstein, I think I found your monster. He sure moved stiffly enough, perhaps he'd been hurt during the raid? One could only hope.

Purposely I began to stagger and the guard immediately noticed the movement, turning with a shotgun in hand. With the moon at his back and his face cast in shadow it made it hard to decipher what he was thinking.

I coughed and went down on one knee, faking fatigue while hoping like hell he wasn't trigger happy. "W-water," I wheezed.

The gun lowered and there was no mistaking the subtle laugh I heard. With a stiff gate, he stalked towards me, low humorless laughter still rumbling in his chest. Frankenstein's monster came to a stop in front of me and he raised my chin using the long barrel of the shotgun. I swallowed hard against the cool metal not even needing to fake the fear I felt.

"How unfortunate-" He knelt down and grabbed my hair, causing me to whimper. "-for you."

 _Do not panic._

He laughed again and the sound raised the hair on the back of my neck.

 _Do not panic!_ _Katie needs me!_ With that thought in mind, I shoved the real fear into a box and buried it. I could handle a little brutality if it meant getting Katie out of here in one piece.

"Yo Alan! Mikey!" He steered me into the camp and the other two men glanced over at their comrade with interest. "Look what I found wandering around the camp."

The two men smiled, pleased with the prize Frankenstein's monster had brought back. One of them, a lanky man with a nearly disfiguring scar running down the left side of his face stood. He took a long pull from the bottle of amber liquid in his hand and staggered in our direction. The monsters posture changed and his grip went from my hair to my shoulder, squeezing none too gently. "I'm taking her to Briggs, Alan." He stated a hard edge in his voice.

"Oh come on Hicks! 'Ave a lil fun wid 'er first." Alan of the scar said, words slurred. He stepped into my personal space and Franken- er Hicks pulled me back against him.

"Bitches go to the boss first Alan. Those are the rules." Hicks growled.

Alan glared, "He always spoils 'em!"

The big guy at my back shrugged. "Those are the rules."

Still glowering, Alan moved his gaze to mine. An almost predatory smile crossed his lips as he leaned in close, the scent of whiskey strong on his breath. "I like blondes." His hand snapped out and grabbed hold of my left breast and gave it a painful squeeze. Brown eyes focused on my face as he watched my reaction. When I made no noise of discomfort or retaliation the predatory smile turned shark like. "I hope Briggs doesn't break you because I want that pleasure."

"Come on," Hicks growled, shoving me passed Alan. The other man, Mikey I assumed sat silently as we made our way to the station but there was no mistaking the gleam in his eye or the way his fingers traced the edge of the long blade in his lap. Mikey wanted to hurt me too but in a completely different manner.

Anger coiled hot in my gut. I expected no mercy from them so I would give none in return.

The weigh station building was small, only the size of a few office spaces and had been ransacked a long time ago. It smelled ripe with garbage, stale urine and a medley of other things I so did _not_ want to figure out. Hicks directed us down a small hall and stopped in front of the only door left standing in the building.

"Don't move."

I stiffened as his hands slid over my body, making sure I carried no weapons. The heat of his breath fanned against my neck and I stifled a growl as his hand cupped my sex.

 _As if I'm hiding anything in there!_ I wanted nothing more than to introduce my knee to his crotch but resisted. Katie had to be behind the door. I couldn't afford to screw this up now.

Franken-perv straightened and I noticed the grimace of pain that flashed across his features. My eyes swept over him and I realized he was favoring his right leg. I stored that tidbit of information away and forced my eyes to the ground and began to shake. I needed them to believe I was harmless and afraid.

He knocked at the door then placed his meaty paw on the back of my neck, squeezing with enough force to leave bruises behind.

"What?" Came a rough growl from the other side.

"Got a treat for you boss."

 _Treat?_ My stomach soured at the word.

"Enter."

Franken-perv opened the door and the blood in my veins went cold. I ignored the heavily muscled, balding brute taking a drag from a cigarette and focused on Katie from beneath my lashes, careful to keep my head still down. He'd beat her something fierce, bruises in various colors littered her barely covered body. She held her arm in a way that had me suspect it was broken. Katie was a fighter, even now I could see the defiance in her brown eyes.

 _That a girl!_ I inwardly cheered. The torn dress she wore was filthy but the fact that she still _had_ clothes made me hopeful that he hadn't done more than beat her.

The balding male pushed off the wall he'd been leaning against to get a better look at me. A large callused hand gripped my chin and jerked my gaze up. Smiling, he turned my head this way and that. "A treat indeed," he said coolly.

An icy smirk, twitched the corner of my lips up causing the balding man to stiffen and frown in confusion. I clicked my boots together like Dorothy and her ruby red slippers. However, unlike those slippers, the steel toed boots I wore held no magic in getting me back home but they did hide twin blades. I mule kicked Franken-perv in his bad leg at the same time I smashed baldies lowered face with my forehead. Both men let go of me in surprise. Big, bald and snarling recovered the fastest, making a grab for me. Dropping to the ground, I spun and kicked his legs out from under him. Franken-perv staggered to his feet, murder in his eyes. Propelling myself at him, I landed a side kick to his ribs and the three-inch blade at the tip of the boot sank into his flesh. He howled and I seriously didn't want his cry to bring the others running so I jerked the blade out, adjusted my balance and kicked in his injured right knee to bring him down closer to my height. He raised an arm to the side of his head thinking I was going to kick him again but I didn't. Using the full force of my weight I slammed an elbow into his throat, crushing his larynx.

I staggered back from the exertion, while the tall man fell to the floor, clutching his throat. Arms wrapped around me and pressed me against a hard chest. The air whooshed out of my lungs as Brigg's tightened his hold, lifting me completely off the ground. Thrusting my head back, my skull connected with his already broken nose, he yelp but he didn't let go. Physically I am not very strong but when push came to shove I could fight with the ferocity of a Xenomorph. Or so I've been told.

Reaching behind me I felt his face, he tried jerking his head away but my thumbs found his eyes and I pressed with all the strength I could muster in that position. He screamed and I felt the right eyeball pop, abruptly he dropped me and I rolled away as a large foot aimed to smash in my face. I scuttled back on all fours as he made a grab for me again, face contorted in rage and pain. My hand came into contact with a heavy metal chain and I grabbed it as his hand wrapped around my throat and hoisted me off the ground. Black spots bloomed across my vision as I struggled to breathe. The angle was wrong and he grabbed the chain before I could hit him with it. I kicked his knee, embedding the blade right into the bone. We both hit the floor in a heap.

Apparently, he'd had enough and I could tell he was about to roar for help. I ripped the blade out of his knee and struggled to sit on his chest as I strung the heavy chain around his thick neck. He threw me off with ease but the chain was still twisted around his neck and it tightened when he tossed me off. He sat up, choking and grasping at the chain. I scrambled behind him, pulling the chain with all my hundred and ten, pounds behind it, keeping a knee in his back so he wouldn't be able to twist around and grab me. Unlike in the movies strangling, someone takes longer than mere seconds. The loss of oxygen causes the person to pass out first then you'd have to keep choking said person for almost another two minutes in order to kill him or her. So when the bald guy's body went slack I held on. Once I was sure he was dead I let go, hands shaking and soaked in blood.

Taking a breath I glanced at Hicks, he too was dead. My eyes finally found Katie's and she looked at me, her brown eyes wide with shock and fear.

"Katie," I said softly.

She blinked but didn't say anything.

"Katie," slowly I moved closer to her, "my name is TK. Your grandmother April asked me to find you and bring you home."

All at once she sagged and broke down into tears. I pressed her head to my chest and rubbed soothing circles on her back as I spoke. "I know you're scared. You've been so brave but I need you to hang tough for just a little longer, okay?"

It wasn't fair to ask an eight-year old who'd suffered at the hands of these scumbags to be brave but we weren't out of the woods yet. Gently I helped her to her feet. When I felt sure she wouldn't collapse into tears again I released her and searched the two bodies for weapons. It was a miracle that the other two outside hadn't heard the scuffle. Then again scar face and his buddy were probably tanked on alcohol by now. Hicks lost his shotgun during the struggle and I scooped it up off the floor. Baldy carried an old Colt .45 and it would put a big hole in a human so I tucked it into the back of my jeans, checking the rounds and clicking the safety on before hand.

Holding the girl's shoulders gently I met her red-rimmed brown eyes and spoke in hushed but firm tones. "Do you know where the truck is?"

She nodded.

"When we get outside run for the truck, get inside and lock the doors until it's safe, okay?" Neither Hicks nor his boss had the keys to the truck on them. So either one of the other two men had them or the keys were still in the pickup.

Sucking in a breath, she nodded with forced determination.

"Good girl." I placed a reassuring hand on her back as we picked our way around the building. The only exit not blocked was the same door we'd entered through. It was a good stretch to the truck and if Alan and Mikey hadn't passed out from the alcohol there wasn't a chance in hell we'd be able to sneak towards it unnoticed. I pulled Katie down bellow a window and signaled for her to be silent while I peeked out. Mikey, still seated in the rickety folding chair snored loudly, completely unaware of his surroundings. I would've never felt safe enough to fall asleep out in the open with Xenomorphs running around. Either these guys thought they were untouchable or they were just plain stupid.

My eyes skimmed the darkness but Alan was nowhere to be found. Perhaps he'd wandered off to take a piss. My gaze landed on the truck and I hoped like hell the keys were inside. I glanced back at Katie and mouthed 'let's go'. Quietly we moved towards the truck and if my heart hadn't been pounding so loudly in my ears I might've heard Mikey long before I felt him move.

I pushed Katie towards the truck, "Go!"

She ran and I only had time to throw up my arms before a male nearly twice my weight tackled me to the ground. Air exploded from my lungs on impact, teeth clicking together as my head met solid ground. The taste of copper filled my mouth and I coughed, splattering my face and Mikey's with blood. The man on top of me sneered and I mirrored his sneer, throwing him off of me and switching our positions with a judo move I'd learned from a Marine. The shotgun was out of reach but the .45 was still tucked at my back. Mikey grabbed for my throat and I let him. My fingers slid over the smooth metal of the .45, I jerked it free, thumbed the safety off and brought it to his head. The big man's eyes barely even registered the gun before I fired. Blood and gore splattered the ground in a gruesome halo around the back of his blown out skull.

Shaking with adrenaline and exertion, I forced myself to stand even though all I wanted to do was curl up in a ball. Only the thought of getting Katie home got me to my feet.

"TK!"

My head whipped up and horror filled my vision. Katie, crying and shaking was being held at gunpoint by Alan. The man howled with laughter, sounding absolutely crazy and looking it too. He rubbed the barrel of the gun against the side of Katie's face. "I knew you'd be fun blondie but this-" He inclined his head towards the dead man at my feet. "-this is so much better than I imagined."

I really didn't want to know anything this guy imagined.

He kissed the top of Katie's head and I took a step forward, baring my teeth at him. Alan raised the gun, "Now, now, now. None of that. Despite your appearance, I highly doubt you're a kid. Not like this one. She's the reason you came out here right?"

I just stared at him. The answer wouldn't matter. He'd use Katie against me no matter what.

He smiled and it was a knowing, gleeful smile. "Drop your gun."

My body stiffened as he pressed the gun to Katie's temple.

"Let the girl go first."

He licked his lips, "Why should I?"

"That girl is not your type. Your boss had a thing for the weak and the helpless but you," I smiled, showing teeth, "you like a challenge." I waved a hand down at Mikey, who's face was nearly caved in from the 45. "I've killed all three of your comrades. Without your weapons do you think you can best me?"

I had him. The devil couldn't have smiled more brilliantly than the way Alan was smiling at me right now.

"First, lose the gun or I shoot her where she stands."

He would too, I saw her death in his eyes. I tossed the gun.

Alan thrust Katie in the direction of the truck and the girl scrambled to it, got in and threw the locks. His eyes dipped down towards my feet, "And the boots."

Frowning I kicked off the boots, bare toes curling against the cold earth. Laughing, Alan tossed his gun and rushed me. Lowering my body mass I braced for the impact. For such a lanky guy he hit like a freight train, almost toppling me over but I managed to stay upright, digging the balls of my feet into the dirt. With my height and weight, I would never be able to win against him in a fist fight but I'm quick and knew how to use his size against him. Every chance I got I kicked the inside of his left leg, attempting to weaken it. A solid punch connected to my ribs and I grunted in pain, jumping back and out of his reach. For a short time, we did an awkward kind of dance around one another. Alan could throw a mean punch but his technique was sloppy, leaving him open for several well-placed kicks to that same leg. The fight raged on with neither of us landing crippling blows, eventually, I began to notice the weakened state of his leg and so did he. Alan smiled that shark-like smile then lunged at me, I moved under his outstretched arm and kicked his left leg with all I had. Alan fell to one knee but he didn't cry out and when his face turned to look at me a sliver of real fear slid down my spine. The smile was still there but there was a crazed gleam in his eyes and I could plainly see _exactly_ what his imagination had planned for me.

A humorless chuckle, escaped his bloody lips as he got to his feet. Alan's leg obviously hurt and made his movements stiff but he was still coming. My eyes widened as he pulled a switchblade seemingly from thin air, sending my heart into a frenzy. I should've known better than to trust he wouldn't fight dirty.

 _Mikey had a knife!_ My eyes flicked to the corpse several feet behind me.

Alan saw this and in a deceptively calm voice, he purred, "Go ahead. Try and reach it. But if I catch you first-" His eyes rolled back and he licked his lips in a very suggestive manner. "-oh please go for the knife blondie."

I did. Adrenaline hammered through my veins, giving me a boost of speed. Mikey's body was within arms reach and I almost got to the dead man before an arm encircled my waist and yanked me to the ground. Alan hit me in the gut hard enough to cause me to curl in on myself. He pressed against me, wrenching my arms up and over my head. Alan's face loomed over mine, so close that I could see my reflection in his brown orbs. Fear closed its icy fist around my heart. I fought it, though. I forced my racing heart to slow its galloping stride and took controlling breaths through my nose. Parasites like Alan fed off the fear more than the actual act. He _needed_ me to be afraid.

Alan pursed his lips, brow dipping into a frown as he noticed the change. Lip curling in the same way a snarling dog might, he leaned in close and whispered, "None of that now. I want to hear you scream."

The cold edge of the blade dragged my shirt up, exposing my belly. Alan traced the thick scars running across my abdomen with the tip of the knife, a look of pure delight on his badly scarred face. "My, my, my someone's already done a number on you blondie. I'm rather jealous I didn't get to be your first but that's alright," his breath tickled my ear as he leaned in very close, "but I'll make it memorable."

My eyes widened as understanding dawned. He wasn't going to kill me and there are things that are far worse than death. I swallowed and his eyes followed the movement. The knife teased along the top of my jeans and I shuttered. He shifted so that his hard member pressed itself against my sex. And when I refused to respond he pressed harder, grinding himself against me.

 _Katie... I'm so sorry._ I'd failed and all I could think about is what it would cost the innocent eight year old girl.

Defiance rose hot in my chest. I wasn't a quitter and would keep fighting until death took me. Alan's face was still close, his eyes watching my reactions. A growl rose in my throat and... wait? A growl?

In my periphery, I noticed a shimmer of light. The fire seemed to sway and move oddly. I heard the low growl again and this time, I knew for sure it hadn't come from me, nor had it come from Alan. Humans can not make that kind of sound. Alan noticed it too and froze, his hand stopping dangerously close to my sex. The sound of a weapon tearing into flesh barely registered before a warm spray of blood suddenly coated my face, Alan screamed in pain, hands clawing at his chest. Something protruded from his chest, sharp and slick with blood but I couldn't really _see_ what it was.

A loud animalistic roar rose up from behind Alan and I scrambled away as the man was quite literally ripped off of me. I had no idea what was going on, everything had happened so fast. Alan was flung to the ground, choking on his own blood. An odd clicking sound drew my frightened gaze up and if I focused really hard I could just make out a shape as the firelight bounced off of it.

 _A Predator!_ Not just any Predator. It was the same one who'd been following me for days. I was sure of it.

Heart beating wildly, I got to my feet. The creature roared again and I ran for the truck as if the devil was on my tail. I barely managed to stay on my feet in the process of snatching up my boots but I managed. Katie sat on the bench seat inside the truck, tears streaming down her face as she urged me to run with a desperate wave of her hand. Lungs burning and feet pounding the earth I made it to the truck as something struck the passenger side door with a loud metallic clap and the truck rocked up on its side for a second, startling me into a stop. Something shimmered and suddenly a spear longer than I was tall appeared, its wicked blade stuck in the door. The creature had thrown it with enough force to not only rock the old pickup but it bent the door inward and nearly in half.

"TK! Hurry up!" Katie shouted.

I reached the door, threw it open and jump inside. Katie leaned over me and pressed the lock down but I doubted their efficiency against a determined Predator. Eyes wide I glanced out the window and of course saw nothing.

"The keys," I breathed desperately. We checked every compartment and just when I thought I was gonna have to hot wire the damn thing the keys dropped in my lap as I flipped down the sun visor. Hands shaking I jammed the keys in, cranked the ignition and felt relief flood my veins as the engine turned over. It groaned to life and I hit the gas as Katie cried, "Go, go, go!"

Like a bat out of hell, we sped off, sending up a plume of dust in our wake. My gaze darted to the rear view mirror, beyond the dust a shape came into being and if my eyes grew any wider they'd pop right out of my skull. Surely my mind was playing tricks on me, because if it wasn't then the creature that stood over Alan's corpse was a fucking giant. The darkness and the dust made it hard to see anything other than his silhouette but it was enough. I'd never seen a Predator for myself and I didn't think I wanted to ever again.

 _Why had he followed me here?_ A more troubling question popped into my head. _Why did he stop Alan?_

The answer that came to me was simple and disturbing. I'd somehow caught this creature's attention, now he wanted to hunt and kill me for himself. But if that were the case why had the spear missed its mark? Now that I knew for sure he was tracking me I would need to find out as much information as I could. Rumors were probably going to be the only source of intell though. The majority of people, even the space marines either didn't believe or refused to believe there were other aliens besides Xenomorphs hunting us.

The silhouette disappeared and I briefly wondered if I should hop aboard the crazy train of nonbelievers and utilize the old saying 'ignorance is bliss'. Out of habit, I clutched the pendant nestled in the hollow of my throat. Fingers gently running over its metal and glass surface. It comforted me the way a crucifix or a rosary assured a person of their faith but for very different reasons. It brought back memories of my mother and the feeling of safety I felt in her embrace.

"What was that thing?" Katie asked suddenly, the weight of her stare on my face.

I let go of the pendant in favor of the wheel, gripping it so hard my hands ached. "I don't know."

The truth was I had no idea in hell what that creature was and the girl had plenty of monsters both in real life and in her dreams to contend with. Why give her any more reasons not to sleep?

* * *

 **Author's note: Hi! So first attempt at a Predator/Alien fic. I've always loved the franchise so I hope my story does it justice. Thank you for reading! Hope everyone enjoyed the first chapter. All reviews are welcome and appreciated. Also sorry for mistakes. Don't know if I need a disclaimer but no I don't own any part of the Alien or Predator franchise. Wish to hell I did though.**

 **P.S. the chapter title is actual the song I was listening to while writing. So it doesn't really go with the chapter but it inspired it.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Far From Home**

The drive back to Katie's home was relatively quiet and thankfully uneventful. The silence broken only by brief moments of conversation and when I stopped to pick up the dirt bike and wrap Katie's arm in a sling. Luckily her arm was not broken but a fracture or even a sprain still hurt like a bitch.

Katie located a water bottle stashed in the glove compartment and offered it to me.

"You need it more than I do," I said, gesturing for her to go ahead and drink it.

She twisted the cap and I heard the sound of the little plastic threads being broken. The bottle had never been opened so it would be safe to drink. I would've snatched it away from her if I thought it might've been anything other than water. She sipped it first, testing it for herself before suddenly gulping it down with desperate vigor. The bottle was nearly empty before she stopped to breathe. She looked at the remaining water and gave me a sheepish smile as she handed the bottle to me. I gave her a nod of thanks and drank the rest. It wasn't enough, it never was. Water was a precious commodity in these parts.

"TK?"

I glanced at Katie, raising an eyebrow when her eyes darted down to look at her hands, picking nervously at the dried dirt and blood covering her floral print dress. The girl wanted to speak but didn't seem to know how to ask the question she wanted to ask.

My gaze went back to the dirt road, a tired sigh slipping between my teeth as I spoke. "You wanna know why I came for you?"

I felt more than saw her nod. The question had merit, Katie and I were virtually strangers yet I'd risked my life to save her. Guilt played a role in a lot of the decisions I made these days. Though I would've still come for her, even if the guilt wasn't there. No one, especially one so young and innocent deserved to be passed around like so much meat. Stripped of her humanity and dignity.

Smiling I laid a reassuring hand on her head, running my fingers through her dirty locks in an attempt to brush out the various debris. The truth was complicated and would probably only make sense to me anyway. So I gave her an uncomplicated and truthful response. "You needed help. The men who took you were scum. If I stood by and did nothing, well... that would make me worse than scum."

Out of habit, I touched the pendant resting against my throat, inadvertently drawing Katie's attention to it. She leaned over and I allowed her small, curious fingers to touch it.

"What is it?" Her fingers turned it over, brown eyes curious. "Is that a dragon?"

"It's a Xenomorph."

She dropped the pendant as if at may rear back and bite. "Why?"

I shrugged. "Why do people wear the tooth of a great white?"

When she didn't respond but continued to stare at the pendant with wary interest I sighed and muttered, "It was a gift from my late mother."

"Oh." She sat back in her seat, eyes drifting away and out the window. The mention of my mother apparently stirring her own memories. "My mom's dead too," she said softly.

The inside of the cab fell silent for awhile and I wondered if I should say something to cheer her up. What could I say, though? More than likely her mother had been killed by Xenomorphs. So I couldn't really say 'sorry about your mom being eaten' and tack on 'by the way my mother worked for Weyland Corp and may be responsible for the creatures escape.' Ugh, I sucked at this kind of thing. It's not like she needed to hear that unfortunate story anyway. She needed someone to relate too and that wasn't me. Katie had her grandmother and others she could rely on. I had no one. Growing up by myself may have emotional stunted me. Of course, that's not to say I don't have emotions I just don't always know how to project them.

"But you have your grandmother and many other people who love you."

She smiled at this but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Yeah." She looked over at me. "And now we have you."

Crap.

"No Katie." I sighed, flexing my fingers to relieve the ache from the tension of holding the wheel in a death grip. "I can't stay."

"Why not?" She asked, voice barely audible.

 _Because I have to find the truth._ I thought but didn't voice it. Staying in one place and calling it home sounded nice, except I needed to find out what role my mother had played when it came to the aliens. And let's not forget Xenomorphs weren't the only hunters I had to contend with and Katie's small community wouldn't survive if Weyland Corp thought they were harboring me. Of course, neither of those things frightened me as much as the phantom-like creature who'd killed Alan last night. So no I couldn't stay.

"It's a long story, Katie. Maybe one day I'll tell you about it."

 _If I'm alive._ I finished silently.

She harrumphed, "Adults are so evasive."

I smiled, laughing softly when I noticed her puffed out cheeks. She deflated and returned the smile.

"So how much longer," she asked with a little bounce. Hissing when she jostled her injured arm.

It was nice to see she could still smile and be happy after such a frightening ordeal. Katie was a strong girl and she'd make an even stronger leader some day. The world we lived in now forced children to mature quickly. Those who do not tend to die early on. Sad but true. I looked at her smiling bruised face with pride before turning my attention back to the road.

"We're almost ther-" My words cut off as I slammed on the brakes, throwing an arm in front of Katie so she wouldn't smack her head on the dash. Adrenaline shoved exhaustion aside as my eyes attempted to track the black figures streaking back and forth against the light of the setting sun. Xenomorphs. Katie's home was once again under attack.

"Shit!" I threw the truck in reverse.

"What are you doing?! We have to help them-"

"Not until I find a place for you to hide!" My eyes darted around the outskirts of the small community. "Do you guys have a tower?" The towers were similar to hunting blinds, built high above the ground with gas lines attached to them to feed flamethrowers. The legs of the towers were thick and usually had an electrical current running through them.

"It's in the middle of the village." She said, eyes widening to the point I could see the white all the way around.

"Of course, it is." I stomped the brakes again, cut the engine and hopped out. We were only a few yards away from the entrance, not the safest distance for this but our options were limited. Katie came around to see what I was doing and I handed her Hicks shotgun. With her wounded arm tucked tightly to her chest in the makeshift sling it made it close to impossible to balance the weapon correctly. The .45 might have been easier for her to handle but the shotgun is a better deterrent.

"Do you know how to use it?" I asked.

She nodded, shifting it gingerly until she had better hold on it. "Grandma taught me."

Her grandmother was a smart cookie.

From beneath the tarp, I pulled on my weapons and gear. Aside from a flamethrower, there was no easy way to kill a Xenomorph. However, my modified G3 series Browning High Power was loaded with explosive rounds and it made _very_ big holes. The dirt bike came next, I freed it from its restraints and got on. Revving the engine, I shot backward out of the truck bed, teeth clicking together as the bike bounced against the ground. The bike would be faster than the truck and the easy maneuverability didn't hurt either.

"Get on."

Katie climbed up in front of me, her back to my front. I would take the brunt of the damage should one of the aliens come after us. Made from Xenomorph carapaces, my arm guards would protect my forearms from their deadly claws and acid blood. However, a well-placed hit from a Xenos powerful tail was a different story. Still, the armor made me feel better and it saved my hide more than once in the past. To keep my hands from getting slick, I donned a pair of fingerless black gloves then revved the engine and sped off towards the entrance.

"Katie keep your head down. When we get to the tower, get inside and don't come back down. Got it?"

She nodded, body shaking as she pressed herself against me. "What about grandma?"

"She's tough. She can handle herself. If I find her I'll bring her to you."

Gunfire and screams met our ears as we hit the entrance. The twelve foot high, electrified fence hung ripped open in some places like a gutted fish. Briefly, I wondered if the fence had been damaged by the marauders or if the power source had failed. Either way, it acted more as a cage now than a safety measure, making it harder for the Xenomorphs prey to escape.

Fire greeted us, an elderly man in his late sixties nearly turned us into burnt toast as he swung a flamethrower around. A pissed looking Xenomorph circled him and I blocked Katie's line of sight as the creature jumped on the man's back and tore into his flesh. I weaved along the winding dirt path, dodging screaming people and aliens as they streaked by. I noticed a lack of children and silently prayed they were already in the tower.

 _1, 2, 3..._ I silently counted the obsidian creatures as we raced through the street. A total of four thus far not including the chard remains of another one back at the entrance. The tower rose high in the sky and I breathed a sigh of relief. Unfortunately, the relief was short lived as a Xenomorphs claws raked across my back, its maw getting dangerously close to my face. The pain flared white hot, the blow jostling the bike, nearly toppling us to the ground. We were at the base of the tower and I slammed on the brake, swinging the bike around, pulled the Browning and firing into the gaping jaws of the Xenomorph. Its head exploded and I covered Katie as she screamed, throwing us in a sudden reverse to avoid the worst of the blood spatter. The jacket I wore sizzled and I ripped it off before the acidic blood could burn the parts of me that weren't protected. The recoil from the shot left my hand numb and I holstered the gun, annoyingly aware that I only had five explosive rounds left and that the ammo was hard to come by. Best not to use it unless I'm forced to.

"Get inside the tower!" I helped Katie off the bike, pulling the katana from its sheath along the body of the bike as I did so. "Do not come down!"

I didn't watch her go but I knew she made it. Time seemed to slow down as my eyes focused on the carnage that played out before me. Mutely aware of the pain in my back and the way the blood soaked through the dirty tank. Three more Xenos remained, their obsidian carapaces gleaming in the fading light of the sun as they moved with deadly grace and speed. The scent of blood and death clung to the back of my throat and I felt the galloping of my heart begin to slow. If I panicked then I would surely die. I had to get them out of the village. Like any other great predator, Xenomorphs were driven by instinct and the more exciting the prey the more powerful the drive.

 _More blood..._

I drew my palm across the blade, hissing as its razor edge bit through the glove and into my skin. Slowly the bike crawled forward as I dripped blood onto the ground. One of the Xenomorphs took notice, its head rising up and tilting to the side in interest. These creatures may have no eyes to speak of but they were by no means blind. The Xeno hissed at me, showing a maw full of glistening silvery fangs as it bowed its carapace in a threatening manner. It gave a low menacing cry that drew the other two Xenos attention in my direction before launching itself at me.

Brows furrowing in grim determination, I revved the engine and took off, heading straight for the charging Xeno. It gave a cry of what I could only conclude was excitement. A true predator, no matter the species, enjoys prey that will challenge it, increasing the thrill of the hunt. Lowering my body to the bike, I felt my own twisted thrill of the hunt, even if a part of me balked at the very idea of what I was doing. Guilt apparently could motivate me into the most suicidal of situations. I was essentially making myself bait.

The Xeno shrieked and opened its maw, muscles bunching, getting ready to spring. My hand flexed around the blade I held at the ready, hidden by my body. When I could see the creature rising higher to strike I gunned the bike and drew the blade up. The katana slid through the Xeno's neck with ease and I came to a sliding stop, turning to watch as the head separated from the body, falling to the ground with a wet plop. The gorgeous blade of the katana dissolved and I threw the now useless weapon away.

The two remaining Xenomorphs shrieked in fury and charged after me. Though I predicted this reaction it was still quite terrifying to see their sleek forms blur into motion. I gunned the engine, aware that if I hesitated for even a second they'd fillet me with those sharp talons and spill my insides all over the ground. I spied April, hunkered down behind an upturned wheelbarrow. No way could I get her to the tower now but at the very least I would give her the opportunity to survive.

"Block the entrance if you can!" I shouted as I passed. Throwing my bleeding fist up in the air and squeezing hard against the wound, making sure to give the Xenomorphs a bloody incentive to keep pursuing me.

The perilous situation I put myself in didn't fully sink in until nothing but desert stretched out before me. Nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. The pickup truck stuck out against the flat landscape the same way an island in the middle of the ocean would. You'd probably still die, even after reaching it but it was still a small glimmer of hope.

Cold dread settled in my chest as I felt one of the creatures take a swipe at me. It missed the back of my neck by mere inches. It shrieked in anger and swiped again, this time going for the bike. The tires were no match for its razor sharp claws and I felt the rear tire burst, causing me to swerve slightly. There was no way in hell I'd make it to the truck. An idea occurred to me as the bike began to slow. A very stupid and equally deadly idea.

My blood-slicked fingers pulled the Browning free of its holster. Adrenaline surged through my veins, heart fluttering in trepidation. One shot. I had one shot and if I missed I was dead. Without thinking, I sharply turned the bike and threw myself off. The Xenomorph collided with the bike and shrieked. Mid fall my eyes zeroed in on the gas tank and I fired. The explosion sent me flying, I lost my grip on the gun and it to went flying. Still, in the air, I tried desperately to pivot and control how I hit the ground. Not so simple when you're thrown like a ragdoll. Somehow I managed, got my feet under me and fell into an awkward crouch, sliding several more feet across the unforgiving earth. Finally, I came to a stop, body in a crouch, facing the direction of the blast. I stared at the roaring fire, feeling its intense heat, completely in shock that I'd pulled it off.

"Point to me," I panted, legs shaking as I stood, "bitches."

The world tilted for a second. Without proper food or sleep in the last three days, coupled with the constant struggle to survive it was a miracle that I could stand at all. Once the adrenaline wore off I'd be utterly useless. Legs still trembling I glanced around and found the truck sitting only a few feet away. I started for it then froze as a low menacing hiss reached my ears. Eyes wide I turned my head in time to see one of the Xenomorphs silhouetted against the fire. Apparently, I'd missed one.

 _Oh shit._

It shrieked and charged after me. I spun, my eyes noticing the spear still stuck in the side of the truck. My feet pounded the ground, heavy and much slower than before. Adrenaline can only drive the body so long before it gives out. My limbs wanted to give out but I refused. I didn't survive this long and fight this hard just to keel over from exhaustion.

 _Move your ass TK! Move!_

I grasped the spear, attempting to use the momentum I'd built up from the run to dislodge it. Unfortunately. this plan backfired, the spear didn't budge and I was thrown into it by my own momentum. The metal slammed into my chest and my breath exploded from my lungs. Sucking in air, I jerked at the spear, tugging and pulling with all my might but the damn thing wouldn't give. The shrill sounds of the creature grew closer and I dared not look away for even a moment. Suddenly my fingers ran over a catch and the spear collapsed into itself. I fell on my ass, unprepared for the sudden movement. The Xenomorph leaped into the air, jaws wide and claws extended. I closed my eyes, screaming as its spittle dripped on my face. There was an audible _shink_ of metal sliding over metal right before the sound of a weapon sliding through flesh and bone touched my ears.

I felt the heat of its breath on my face and when I did not feel its teeth sink into my flesh I took a chance and cracked open my eyes. What I saw I did not expect. My fingers must have triggered the release on the spear without realizing it. Extended to its full length, the spear had driven straight through the creature's gaping maw and out the back of its head. Its body shuddered and collapsed to the side as I shoved it off.

I leaned against the rear tire of the truck, sucking in deep lung fulls of air. More than anything I wanted to collapse, to let my eyes slide shut. Surely the danger had passed but I was too hyper aware of the dead alien lying beside me. I had to get back to Katie. I had to make sure she at least was safe. Trembling, I used the truck to help get me to my feet. Grabbing the spear I laid my booted foot against the creatures sloping head and pulled. The spear slid free and when I flung the blood from its length I noticed it was still intact. Unlike my katana, the spear hadn't melted. The acid blood left a lite trail of corrosion but other than that it had not sustained any real damage. The alien metal felt sturdy, yet flexible; heavy but not terribly so. Fully extended it was nearly twice my height, clearly meant to be handled by a creature much taller than me. My thoughts drifted to its rightful owner and an involuntary shiver skittered up my spine.

Closing my eyes I took in a calming breath. A smirk twitched at my lips. I'd survived. Even against unthinkable odds, I'd won. The swell of pride left me feeling a little giddy and lightheaded. Of course, that could also just be the last tendrils of adrenaline wearing off.

A soft scrape of metal rooted me to the spot, heart plummeting somewhere past my gut. Warm breath puffed against the back of my neck, rustling my hair. Fear coiled so tightly in my chest, breathing became complicated. Swallowing, I turned my head slowly and a mouth full of silvery fangs greeting me. It snarled, lips curling up higher as they quivered with anticipation. In a movement too fast for my eyes to track its tail wrapped around my leg and thrust me up into the air, leaving me dangling upside down mere centimeters from its face. It stepped down from the truck bed and rose to its full height.

I swallowed hard, eyes roving over the obsidian beast. It took me a moment, between the blood rushing to my head and the blinding fear to notice that this creature stood taller than the others I'd killed. Much taller. Even in the face of death, I couldn't quell the curiosity that stirred within me. My eyes crawled over it, just a cursory glance until something interesting caught my eye.

 _What the hell?_

To my knowledge and admittedly that was limited, Xenomorphs were female. An asexual species. Yet this creature was most definitely male. My eyes crept back up the length of its lithe body to its head, noticing with a shock that he seemed to be studying me as well. It shook its head, hissing in anger. Its sudden movement jostled me, causing my pendant to slip down and bop him in the face. He shrieked, annoyed by the object at first then unexpectedly he leaned his head forward, chuffing at the pendant. Its head was basically touching mine as it moved the pendant around. Like the way, a crow shows interest in something shiny.

A strange whine came from its chest, a sound I'd never heard before. Its maw opened and its smaller jaws slipped out. I shook as those little jaws slowly dragged up the side of my face, tasting me. It was surreal, those inner jaws had the power and speed to kill a human the same way a bullet did and yet here it was sliding along my skin in an almost gentle manner.

Suddenly the creature reared its head back and cried out in rage. Or at least it felt like rage. Another cry echoed his from somewhere behind me and a moment later I felt more than saw the other Xenomorph. It moved around us, its sightless carapace looking between me and its larger companion. Smaller than the male this one was definitely female. She hissed but bowed her head as the male hissed back at her. The Xenomorph seemed agitated that the male had yet to kill me. I flinched away as her inner jaws came flying out, snapping the air in front of my face. The next thing I knew I was on the ground, reeling from being dropped. The male shrieked angrily, stepping over my body as he went after the female. Moving quickly I rolled under the truck, snatching the forgotten spear and bringing it to my chest. The two Xenomorphs fought for a second but the female was easily dominated, lowering her head and showing her neck in submission. My eyes went wide in surprise as the male ignored her submission and ripped into her throat. The female struggled and shrieked but it made no difference. His tail penetrated her skull, killing her instantly. The dead Xeno crumpled to the ground and the male wailed loudly as if pleased. I have never seen one Xenomorph kill another but then again I've never seen a male Xenomorph either. Perhaps there is a reason they are so rare because their size and brutality would spell doom for a Hive.

The male whipped its head towards my hiding spot and I slid further under the truck, holding onto the spear like a lifeline. He lowered his head, scenting the air. I swallowed hard against the fear, biting my lip so that I would not whimper. He was looking for me. Crouching low to the ground he stared at me under the truck, emitting that strange whine. Just as I thought he might slip his tail under and grab me he suddenly straightened head cocking to the side as if he could hear something that I could not. Whatever it was, it seemed to anger him because he uttered a high-pitch screech that had me yelping in fear and holding my hands to my ears to try and block it out.

Tears streamed down my face as I slowly uncovered my ears a moment later. Trembling I looked out from under the truck and saw only the carcasses of the dead Xenomorphs. Petrified that he got behind me, I rolled over but saw nothing. For several minutes I stayed where I was until I felt confident that I was alone. I crawled out on the opposite side, legs shaking so badly I had to use the spear to get myself to my feet. Slowly I spun in a circle but it was just me and the carcasses.

 _What the hell did I just witnessed?_

Shaking the thought away I went in search of the Browning. I had to get back to make sure Katie was alright. Giving myself a priority would keep me from falling apart into a gibbering mess.

 _Later._ I thought, anxiously. Later I could dwell on the events and privately break down.

* * *

 **Predator's POV** _(previous night)_

What in Paya was he thinking? Nracha-dte Halkrath stood over the dishonorable ooman male's corpse. A seasoned hunter knew better. _He_ knew better and yet his body had moved of its own accord, killing the male before he could snuff out the fiery spirit of the little ooman female. The thought displeased him greatly. It was one thing to kill your prey but this male had wanted to kill the females spirit as well. A prey who's fighting spirit is broken is no longer acceptable prey. There was simply no honor in killing something that didn't want to survive. A mercy killing would've been acceptable but this male had wanted to forcibly mount the female and destroy her spirit. That did not sit well with Nracha-dte Halkrath. Still, he should not have intervened.

He reflected on his actions and roared in rage recalling the smell of her fear when the dishonorable male had tried to take her. Something was wrong with him. The scent of that ooman female had his instincts all twisted up. He should leave the planet. He was done here anyway. The Bad Bloods remains were stored away in his ship, concluding his business on this dying rock.

Crouching, he dug his claws into the dead oomans back, grabbing hold of the spinal column he freed it, along with the skull from its fleshy housing. The dead ooman was not a worthy kill and yet he felt the need to take the skull of this particular ooman as a trophy.

 _She would've been a worthy kill._ The thought made him growl. The first time he saw her, the Yautja warrior knew she would make a grand trophy. His first encounter with her had been weeks ago but that one moment would be seared behind his eyelids forever. He'd observed her in the midst of a battle with a kiande amedha, enthralled by the way her body moved with more grace than any other ooman he'd previously hunted. She'd killed the hard meat with nothing more than a dagger and cunning. It surprised him because female oomans were so much smaller and physically weaker than the males of their species. Yet after studying her for some time he came to the conclusion that perhaps the females were even more dangerous than the males. What they lacked in strength and size, they more than made up for in sheer defiance and their ironclad resolve. Or at least that was the case with this particular female. Ooman males twice her size would've run, screaming in terror of a kiande amedha and yet she had gone after it with vigor. The pride she felt in that moment of victory over such a fierce predator lit her blue eyes with the light of a thousand stars. A hunter's pride. Nracha-dte Halkrath knew in that moment he wanted- no _needed_ to hunt her. His own spirit wanted to bathe in her intensity. Hunting females wasn't a common practice, in fact, most Yautja flat out refused to, including himself but he would make an exception.

Unfortunately, that exception had thrust him into a conundrum. The drive to hunt the female had become overpowering, yet he did nothing more than spectate. The opportunity to strike came up on several occasions but his instincts recoiled at the thought of actually killing the little ooman female. Was it the thought of killing a female in general that stayed his hand or was it for a different reason entirely? Even if his morals rebelled, the laws of his kind were clear. She may not have seen him without the cloaking device but she'd _seen_ him all the same. He'd thrown his combistick with the intent to kill, yet at the last second, he'd changed its trajectory, impaling the side of her transportation instead of her back, giving his prey the opportunity to escape.

Rage roiled within him. His prey had _escaped._ This was unacceptable.

Nracha-dte Halkrath was done. He would retrieve his combistick, kill the ooman female and leave this planet. Straightening, he stood to his full height and made his way back to his ship.

* * *

 _ **Author's note: thank you everyone for reading! I especially appreciate the reviews, they really motivated me! Chapter title is Far From Home, one of my favorite songs. It greatly inspired this chapter!**_

 _ **Kainde amedha: Xenomorph**_

 _ **Nracha-dte Halkrath: Relentless Shadow**_

 _ **There aren't many Yautja names and I didn't wanna use the same ones over and over so I combined some of the Yautja words to make my own. ;)**_

 _ **P.S. sorry for any mistakes! Hope everyone enjoyed this chapter. Story will switch POV's from time to time but will mostly be told through TK. I'm already working on ch. 3. Also I will try to update on a weekly basis.**_


	3. Chapter 3

**Sorry About Your Parents**

Sweat beaded along the curve of my spine, the salt stinging the healing wounds. The claw marks weren't deep, the bike had been moving to fast for the Xenomorph to get a good hold. It still hurt like the blazes though. The scabs kept getting rubbed off by the friction caused by my shirt and the gear tied across my back. Two days of rest hadn't been enough but the urge to keep moving eventually got the better of me. Besides I didn't want to be in the village once the Marines showed up to haul away the Xenomorph carcasses. The dead ones wouldn't go for a great price but the Marines would help relocate April and her people in exchange for the corpses. I'd suggested they move to a colony ship but April had flat out refused. _"Earth is our home. Those floating cans are a death traps."_ She'd said.

The time I spent with Katie and April was short lived and I'd be lying if I denied the fact that I missed the company. Missed the socialization. Humans need each other. We crave the contact, the companionship and the protection. Humans who spend to much time alone tend to get a little strange, even dangerous. Like me.

 _"You should find yourself a man. Someone who can tame the wild woman this rotting world has turned you into."_

I smiled at the memory of Aprils parting words. She'd been utterly serious as she said this to me. Out of respect I didn't laugh in her face, she'd been good to me, despite the constant badgering to try and get me to stay. They'd given me food and medical supplies, a place to rest and even a bath. A _bath._ Water was hard to come by in these parts so being aloud to bathe was a precious gift indeed.

Sighing, I flexed my fingers around the spear in my grip and moved out of the shadows of one building and sprinted to the shadows of the next. The Wilds, formally known as Las Vegas was seriously no place for anyone to tread alone. Yet here I was, alone again, trekking through a ravaged city that held nothing but the promise of death. Scavengers lived here, along with Xenomorphs with no queen to speak of. Las Vegas wasn't ground zero but some might say it was a prelude to the apocalypse. A queen built her Hive right under the Strip and the massacre that followed still echoed in the deserted streets. You couldn't move anywhere without almost tripping over the bones of the dead.

Weyland couldn't resist the temptation of putting the creatures on display. The revenue the aliens brought in funded hundreds of his experiments and other activities. And like any power hungry idiot he took it to far and the aliens got loose.

The queen had been killed but not before the death toll reached into the thousands over a span of only a few weeks. Weyland tried to contain it but its hard to contain tens of thousands of terrified people who wanted to escape. The queens brood were crafty and many evaded capture. After all the sprawling city had given them ample places to hide. How many are left I couldn't say for sure but as long as I traveled through the decaying city by day I would be relatively safe. Maybe. Once I got to the Weyland Corp. Stratus building I could barricade myself inside and hunker down for a short time while I searched for answers. I doubted it would be that easy. Weyland didn't get where he is by sharing secrets or being naive when it came to security.

A soft scraping sound had me going very still. Cautiously I peeked around the corner of the building, fingers ready to press the catch that would extend the spear. The alien weapon was entirely to tall for my short stature to handle it properly but I was getting better at it. The spear felt good in my hands and even though it appeared primitive and archaic in design the weapon proved to be more reliable than any other weapon on my person.

A blur of movement and I felt my heart lurch into my throat as a hare sprinted passed my hiding spot. Releasing a breath, I calmed my racing heart, laughing silently at my over reaction.

 _Jumpy much TK?_

I was jumpy. The Wilds were unpredictable and treacherous. Taking a collective breath, I straightened my spine, wincing as the wound pinched and moved deeper into the Wilds, leaving the truck and my insecurities behind. Well most of my insecurities anyway. After all there was still a spectre-like hunter out there somewhere.

It wasn't until hours later that I ran into a problem. "I am so fucking lost!"

A big problem.

* * *

 **Nracha-dte Halkrath POV**

The hunter stopped, hard gaze fixed on the female oomans abandoned transportation. Its core gave off no heat, which meant his prey had a decent head start. His eyes flicked towards the towering skeletal remains of an abandoned ooman city. The bio helmet sifted through several filters so that he could get a better read on his surrounds. It appeared to be truly abandoned but the seasoned hunter knew better.

 _What possessed the little ooman female to come here?_

With a growl he shook his head, whatever her reasons it didn't matter. The added danger would only make the hunt more thrilling. On his planet Halkraths legendary prowess was second only to the Leader of his clan. The warrior fought with a calculated ferocity and a brutality that caused his brethren to both fear and revere him. It was only fitting for a great warrior to hunt the most superior prey. He recalled the ooman females fierce fighting spirit, the fire that blazed behind blue eyes deeper than any ocean and more vast than any sky. The memory made Halkrath's blood sing with anticipation.

The hunter started towards the decaying remains of the ooman city, readiness and excitement quickening his pace. He walked passed the females transportation and abruptly stopped. The scent of blood -her blood clung to the back of his throat, eliciting a hiss from the warrior. Without realizing it, he suddenly found himself next to the odd transportation and looking through the glass. Dark patches of blood smeared the animal hide covered seats inside. The dishonorable male ooman he'd killed had not injured her this badly?

Once again his body moved of its own accord or so he told himself as his fist hit the flimsy glass with more force than necessary. The instant it broke he immediately wished he could take it back. Her scent filled his helmet and like before it did funny things to him. A roar ripped from his throat, terrifying and angry.

The yautja warrior had to purge himself of these strange and altogether dangerous curiosities plaguing him. And the only way to do that was to hunt down the cause and kill her.

* * *

 **TK's POV**

 _Haven't I already passed this skeleton?_

I stared down at the skull of long dead marine and frowned. A spider crawled out of the empty eye socket and I stifled a girly squeal of horror. How sad is that? I can face a Xenomorph head on and not even feel a fraction of the terror I just felt upon seeing a spider no bigger than a thumb nail. Some fears, though childish were just hardwired into the human brain. Being trapped in the dark for instance scared the ever-loving shit out of me. Death could stare you right in the face, bare its teeth at you and even if you sensed its approach you wouldn't see it coming.

Speaking of the dark, I glanced up at the sky, highly aware of how much time remained before the sun went down. If I didn't find the Stratus building soon, I would have to locate another place to hunker down in for the night. April's warning left me feeling anxious. The stories she wove about the Wilds would make anyone think twice. _"Evil has taken root in the blood soaked earth, something far more sinister than Xenomorphs. It does not take kindly to strangers and will attempt to consume you."_

A chill marched up my spine at the mere memory of her words and I clasped the spear a little tighter to my chest. The weapon in my hands wasn't even mine, yet it gave great comfort and helped keep me grounded. Its rightful owner hadn't come to collect it and for the first time I wondered if perhaps he'd lost interest and left. Even as I thought it I mentally shook my head because that didn't feel right. The creature or rather the Predator as I've come to understand, stalked me for weeks. I found it hard to believe he would simply give up and move on. Not after saving my life out of nowhere anyway. I felt the absence of his presence now though or at least I was pretty sure I was by myself. Just me and the dead... and the freaking spider. Strange as it sounds I almost missed the feel of his gaze on my back. Especially as I stood in the shadows with the terrifying sense of being utterly alone. If something evil did haunt this place and managed to kill me. I would feel better knowing I hadn't completely gone out alone.

The creature saved my life once. Doesn't that mean on some level he cares? Or is care the wrong word? Interest? Curious?

 _You're an idiot..._

With a rueful smile, I shook the thoughts away. It turned out April had something to say about the creature that hunted me. The old woman was a real fountain of stories and rumors. I'd taken her words with a grain of salt but there were one or two of those stories that gave me pause. _"Predator is our term for them."_

She went on to tell me a story that took place well over a two hundred years ago about a special forces team who encountered one of these _Predator's_ while in the midst of a rescue operation in the middle of guerrilla territory. The elite team had been slaughter with ease, except for the leader who managed to best the creature.

There were other run-ins with these so called Predators but the information lacked substance. However there was one key fact I did pick up on. Trophies. Skulls and skins were taken never to be found.

A shiver caught me off guard.

 _Perhaps being alone is not so bad._

Dragging my thoughts back to the present dilemma, I considered choosing a path at random when awareness prickled along my skin. Warily I glanced over my shoulder then spun around, breath stolen as familiarity, confusion and sadness overwhelmed my senses.

 _It can't be..._

"Mom?" I whispered.

The woman's stride didn't even falter, she continued on as if I wasn't even there and disappeared around another building. Emotions bubbled up in my chest, making it difficult to breath, difficult to think clearly. I followed after the her, no longer concerned with sticking to the cover of shadows.

Surely what I saw had been a mere trick of the light, a mirage perhaps? I flew around the corner of the building without even bother to check for danger and spotted the woman's blonde ponytail bob around the next corner. Holding the spear close to my chest I continued the blind chase, catching mere glimpses of the woman as she managed to stay ahead of me. Part of me knew what I was seeing, understood it to the very depths of my soul but I couldn't formulate the word in my mind.

Heart hammering in my chest I wound my way around building after building, all the while dodging deserted cars, trash and the occasional skeleton. The world was growing dark yet I paid it no mind in my desperate attempt to catch another glimpse. Soon the seedy life that still crawled in the under belly of this dead city would start hunting. I was aware of this but couldn't stop. She'd died when I was twelve. I never got to say goodbye. Never got to yell at her for leaving me alone. For leaving my soul twisted in knots from the guilt that ate at me day after day. Guilt that she had caused.

Tears trekked a path down my face and I stifled the sobs that so desperately wanted to escape. Screams of fury and unbearable sadness curled in my throat but I forced them down. Forced myself to keep running. I couldn't keep up this pace forever and I probably looked like a damn fool but at that moment I couldn't have cared less. May god have mercy on whatever idiot got in my way at this moment.

Lungs burning, chest heaving I threw myself around another corner and came to a jerky stop. The Stratus building loomed before me, its windows dark and unbroken. Every other building on the block had been vandalized yet this one stood untouched. Somewhere in the back of mind I knew that was a bad thing but I ignored the niggling feeling as I turned this way and that, in search of my mother. Or at least what I thought had been my mother. Did I really see anything at all?

Frustrated I glared up at the building, feeling the burn in my throat as I kept a tight rein on my sobs. The apparition was gone and with its absence came lucidity. I mentally berated myself for letting my emotions get the better of me.

 _You're not fucking twelve anymore TK get a grip! She is dead!_ The thought helped me scrape up my resolve and thrust the emotions back down into the darkest pit of my mind. However as hard as tried I couldn't get her face -her stupid smiling face out of my head.

Disturbed as I was I couldn't lose sight of my goal. A cursory glance of the building suggested it was locked up tight. How was I supposed to get inside? My eyes noticed the locking mechanism next to the double doors and I had a sinking suspicion that it required more than just a simple pass code. The little black sphere above the the keypad looked suspiciously like a retina scanner.

 _Damn!_

I looked around, then up and smiled. The windows were probably several inches thick and the doors were armor plated but I bet the ventilation system wasn't as well protected. With my mind made up I went in search of way to get to the roof. Unsurprisingly there wasn't a convenient fire escape, however the building that sat next to it did have a drain pipe. I shimmied my way up using said pipe, wincing as it groaned under my weight. Once I was on the roof of the building next door I simply had to jump across the narrow gap.

 _Okay so far so good,_ I thought as I dusted off my hands and knees and surveyed the roof. My breath caught in my throat as I saw my mother in my periphery. I turned sharply and she was gone.

"What the fuck!" I growled, biting my tongue for shouting.

 _Good job TK let all the nasty critters know you're here!_

Scowling at myself, I eyed the spot where I thought I'd seen my mother and cocked a brow in surprise upon seeing the ventilation system. Instead of reading too much into the confusion I walked over and inspected the fenced cage around the vent. Nothing to fancy, the chainlinks rose up about ten feet and covered the top and all sides. There was a door with a thick chain around the lock but that was mere child's play when you compared it to some of the other security goodies waiting for me on the inside.

While everything about the building clearly stated it was being kept up to date and checked up on, the rusted lock on the fence had not. Isn't breaking in through the ventilation system a common theme in all the movies? Apparently Weyland wasn't a fan of the classics. Then again he probably thought no one would be stupid enough to try it.

 _Hello Weyland I'm stupid!_

Air vents are not safe to crawl through. Hell if I was even a few pounds bigger or a eensy-bit taller I would probably get stuck and die. As it was my butt was already giving me trouble as I shimmied my way into the opening. A sheen of sweat already covered my skin from the heat and I wasn't even all the way in yet. Grabbing the grated cover I glanced back at the chain fence and wondered if I should secure it in some way. The rusted and broken lock lay discarded on the loose gravel roof. Shaking my head I pulled the grate in behind me and started inching my way down. Considering the kind of attention I attracted it would take a lot more than a chainlink fence and a padlock to keep them out. My small size was my advantage, I highly doubted the hulking creature that killed Alan would be able to fit in here. A Xenomorph on the other hand -oh yeah definitely. I'd be chow baby. Vents are soundproof so if a Xenomorph came after me no one would hear me scream nor would my bloody demise be witness to any camera.

Okay enough scaring the shit out of myself.

The sluggish crawl through the heat was brutal. Luckily light filtered in making it easy to see the upcoming twists and turns... or gnashing teeth.

 _Ah shut up! You are going to be fine TK!_

Good thing I'm not claustrophobic. The vents were really fucking small, almost impossible even for someone with the body of a twelve year old boy to crawl through. It gave me lots of time to think about the stupidest things or things better left alone. Like having a sudden and terrifying epiphany that the hunter who's been stalking you, wanted you to know he was stalking you. It made a frightening amount of sense, after hearing those stories. I have keen senses but that guy had a fucking cloaking device. The only reason I ever knew he was there was simply because he wanted me to know.

 _I like my skull and spine attached thank you very much!_

Even in the smothering heat of the vent I felt a chill creep along my skin as the revelation of something I should've grasped a lot sooner took hold. He's been toying with me the way some... _predators_ play with their prey. So the end game was what? Keep stalking me until I panicked and tried to run? Kind of hard to run from something you can't see. Surely my scrawny ass wouldn't make a respectable trophy. Hell maybe he didn't even know why. Maybe I'm just that fucking fascinating!

 _Riiiight,_ I thought with a derisive snort. _What god did I piss off to deserve this?_

As if to answer the thought there was a soft _ping_ like noise as if I'd just... tripped an alarm!

Eyes wide I tried to see behind me, which was both really awkward and painful as my forearm connected with a steam pipe. My flesh burned but I barely noticed the pain as my eyes caught sight of a laser grid sliding along the vents behind me.

"Shit!" I scrambled forward, pushing and shoving myself as fast as I could manage. Steam pipes bit into my flesh as I passed, the sweltering heat closed in around me like a fist. I came to a corner and instantly hated the builder of this death trap. The corner was at such a bad angle that it slowed me down considerably as I wrenched myself around it. The tight squeeze ripped something from my belt and I heard it roll away. My eyes flicked back to see what I'd lost and I watched in horror as the laser grid swept over the flashlight cutting it into even little pieces.

Adrenaline jolted through me like a live wire and I heaved myself forward, desperately in search for a way out. About ten feet in front of me I saw the air duct dip down over a grated vent. I would've cheered in relief if not for the laser grid trying so hard to help me shed a few pounds. Breaths heaving I nearly made it to the dip when in front of me I noticed another set of lasers coming at me from the opposite direction. My eyes snapped back to the grated vent, it was my only chance. I clamber onto it hands first then sharply twisted to get my feet under me. Sweat poured down my faces, well aware of the encroaching death. I kicked at the vent, did my best to jump up and down. It shook but didn't come loose. The glow of the red lasers lit up my face and out of sheer panic I pulled the old colt .45 I'd procured and shot at the rivets not even caring if they ricochet. The vent gave and I plummeted to the floor below with a terrified scream.

* * *

 **Nracha-dte Halkrath POV**

The kainde amedha shrieked as Halkrath jerked its tail, effectively pulling the creature out of the entrance of a small metal structure. The ooman female had slipped inside some time ago and had made it stupidly easy to track her. Halkrath found this surprising considering the amount of care she normally took to avoid detection. Something had caused her to become careless, reckless even.

Small inner jaws flashed out of the kainde amendas maw only to snap at empty air as the experienced hunter moved with a dance-like grace out of its reach. The well maintained wrists blades slid out soundlessly from their sheath, just before he drove them home beneath the sloping skull of the obsidian beast and into its jugular.

 _To easy._ He thought with a low growl of disappointment. The fight ended too quickly, leaving him devoid of the high he got from a good hunt. Halkrath would not take a trophy from this kill. The body dropped in a heap at his feet, its acidic blood eating through the roof.

He slung the dull-yellow blood of the kainde amedha from the blades before retracting them and turned his attention to the small metal opening. Apparently something inside this structure enticed the ooman female enough that she'd indeed become reckless as he eyed the thin streaks of blood on the top of the opening. He ran a clawed finger through the streaks finding the blood tacky and nearly dry. The scent made him shiver and he wiped the blood from his finger while taking a hasty step back. The unchecked reaction made him growl in annoyance.

Spinning away from the opening he stalked back the way he came to find a better spot to observe from. He couldn't fit into that tiny opening, nor did he want to engage her inside such a well secured and monitored structure. Halkrath was a patient hunter. Eventually the female would make her way back out and then he would strike.

* * *

 **TK's POV**

The first thing I noticed upon opening my eyes was the blinding light.

 _Oh my god I'm dead?! Then why the hell am I in so much pain?!_

I blinked blearily, pushing myself up on my elbows with a groan. Squinting against the light I tried to get my bearings and figure out why the heck it felt like I went toe to toe with an eighteen wheeler and lost. A grey squarish shape hung close to the light, it wavered around for a moment but finally solidified and I realized it was the vent to an air duct. Clarity snapped like a rubber band in my head. I'd shot out the vent to escape the laser grid and hit the floor in a fantastic sort of back flop. No cool entrance for me. Just plop!

But damn that laser grid very nearly made mincemeat out of me. Apparently Weyland had seen a few classics. Or at least his Contractor has.

The back of my head throbbed and I touched it gingerly, hissing when it stung. Slowly I cataloged my injuries, happy to find nothing broken. The bruises on the other hand were gonna be colorful.

I sat up, hissing as the wounds on my back protested. My eyes roamed over the room, momentarily confused as to why the lights were on but spotted the motion detectors about the same time I noticed the cameras.

 _Brilliant TK. Just fucking brilliant._

Smiling I waved at the camera above the exit. Whoever actually monitored this place was probably shitting him or herself. Once facial recognition ratted me out this place would be crawling with Marines. Why Weyland wanted me was uncertain, I could only imagine it had something to do with my mother's research but I'm just guessing here. And up until now I've done a very good job of avoiding the Company and the Marines, so I might as well smile for the camera and get the fuck out of here as soon as I got what I needed. I had ample time. It wasn't as if there was a Marine post anywhere nearby but they could use the security features to slow me down. Initially my plan had been to get in and barricade myself in for the night, however now that they knew I was here I couldn't stay. So I had to find what I needed, get the hell out and brave the Wilds in the dark.

 _Fun times!_

Getting to my feet, I sighed as my spine popped a few times, relieving some of the tension. The room I stood in seemed to be an old observatory of sorts. There was a bank of computers laid out in front of a large glass window. It was dark on the other side, curious I walked over to the computers, found the light switch for the window beyond and pressed it.

"HOLYSHITMOTHEROFGOD!" Cursing, I jumped back several feet, pulling the Browning as I did so. My heart pounded deafeningly in my ears and it took me a tense few second to understand what I was seeing. Three Xenomorphs stood in stockade style metal posts, the chains thick and barbed with wicked looking spikes. Okay standing was the wrong term as I noticed their lack of response and the way their bodies actual hung limply, held up by the metal contraption. The Xenomorphs were dead and for some time too. Their obsidian coloring lacked its normal luster and seemed dull. It appeared as though the creatures were abandoned and left to starve to death. Such a horrible way to die, I actually pitied the creatures.

Holstering the gun, I grabbed the spear instead, favoring the weapon. I doubted I would run into anything still breathing inside these walls but walking around without a weapon seemed like an open invitation for trouble.

The door slid open as I approached, raising every hair along my body at the unsettling lure. I glanced back up at the camera and got the distinct impression I was being watched with interest. They knew I was here so why not lock the door and make things harder? Something was very wrong here but as long as they're being cooperative I might as well take advantage of it.

 _Heigh ho, heigh ho it's off to death I go..._

* * *

 **Authors Note:** **Sorry I know it was short, it's acting more as a bridge to the next chapter. I had a tough time with this chapter and was afraid I wouldn't be able to post one this week. Ugh! Sometimes the words just flow and other times you wanna beat your brain with the keyboard, lol. Also admittedly I got distracted with a new story I'm working on. It'll be another Predator/human fic but I'm not quite ready to post that one yet. Anyway next chapter lots more action or so I have already planned. Forgive any mistakes! Also I don't know if I need to write a disclaimer but I will anyway. I don't own Alien or Predator. Sucks but it's true. The song that helped me get this chapter out of my brain was 'Sorry About Your Parents'.**

 **P.S. Thank you everyone for reviewing! It's such a boost and I love your comments! Till next time my lovelies!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Shell Shocked**

 _I see dead people!_

Okay so she wasn't so much dead as she was a hologram. A hologram of my mother. The laboratory I found myself standing in felt eerily familiar. I've been here before, I was sure of it but couldn't seem to recall it from memory. I'd just started poking around when the hologram snapped into being giving me a minor heart attack in the process. I stared dumbstruck at the thing, feeling the emotions trying to break free of their containment as I eyed the hologram warily.

Brows furrowing I edged a little closer, confused as to why it had appeared and why it seemed to be frozen. Was this the apparition I saw earlier? Upon closer inspection I suspected not, mostly because the program for the hologram wouldn't have run outside these walls. So what the hell did I see?

A chill scurried along my skin. _There is no such things as ghosts!_

The hologram was poised over the computer banks, her oval face pinched tight in her normal all work and no play expression. My mother had been very serious about her work with an unflappable kind of personality. Always calm, cool and level headed, the exact opposite of me. Sure I can put on a calm front but inside I always seemed to be one step away from a melt down. Like right now.

I eyed the computer she stood frozen in front of, curious as to the reason she was making such a face. I hesitated for just a moment before finally touching the blank screen. It blinked to life, a big box in its center indicating it required a passcode. With an irritated sigh I straightened, barely catching the tiny black dots as they appeared in the little passcode bar. I blinked then gripped the edge of the station as I leaned in so close my nose nearly touched the screen. The bar blinked and the screen changed, opening up a file and filling the screen with a boat load of information that scrolled out faster than I could read it.

"Sorry." I muttered to the hologram as I moved in front of it, the image didn't waver but it looked rather ridiculous with its head sticking out my chest like a freaking chestbuster. Ignoring how weird it was to have my mother's head sticking out of my chest I tried to read the information being presented to me. Too curious to wonder as to _why_ someone seemed to be throwing me a bone.

Between the science lingo and the diagrams I had a hard time understanding a lot of what I was reading, until a folder popped up on the screen. I tapped it with a finger and it opened up to reveal several video files, each with a timestamp and a small description to what it entailed. Fascinated I pulled the chair sitting in front of the station out and took a seat. Ignoring the hologram as her face now seemed to loom over my shoulder.

The first file was titled: 'Advancement'. I clicked on it and my breath caught as my mother's face appeared. Her blonde hair up in its usual no-nonsense ponytail, her blue eyes the same shade as my own shimmering with pride.

 **"This Dr. Christi Cherish with an update on project X/219."**

I rolled my eyes at the vague project title. Why couldn't they use names that actual jumped off the page like: 'Project Uber Bad Idea'? But my mother preferred to remain indifferent to such things. Naming something meant you had an attachment to it and mother avoided attachments.

 **"After many failed attempts Dr. Greg Isles and I were able to recode the DNA of three facehuggers who went on to produce three male Xenomorphs. The first of their kind."**

My brows tugged down as a cold weight settled in my chest. I knew exactly how Xenomorphs _produced_ young. It was a rather unexpected and disturbing surprise that my mother had willingly sacrificed three people's lives to create these male Xenomorphs. The recording ended and I tapped the next file, forcing myself to watch in morbid fascination. The majority of the recordings didn't hold anything of great value but it was none the less interesting. The males grew just as quickly as the females, only several feet taller, towering over the smaller females. As they aged the dynamics of their hierarchy changed inside the controlled Hive. Control being a loose term as I clicked on the final video.

Again my mother appeared this time looking a little bit more harried than normal. Her face flushed and her eyes showing white all the way around.

 **"The Project has failed. Mother Nature always finds a way to break free. We knew this but decided to test the limitations anyway."** She chuckled bitterly, her eyes following something I couldn't see. **"Specimen 2 or 'Zee' as my daughter has come to call him has demonstrated its dominance by killing the other two males. Xenomorphs can see, hear and understand the world around them through a form of telepathy. This is how they communicate with each other, the Queen controls the drones through this connection and yet specimen 2 has shown great resilience to her call. He has become dangerously unpredictable and is a danger to the Hive as a whole. It is my opinion that he be terminated, of course Dr. Greg Isles does not agree-"**

The recording cut off and I sat there just staring at the image of my mother on the screen. Pushing the chair back I glanced between the woman on the screen and the frozen holoform leaning over the computer station and realized they were identical. Same black pencil skirt, coupled with a white button down shirt that had a suspicious looking red stain splattered across the front. This last recording was made the same day as the holographic recording. I stood up and turned my face towards the camera in the left corner of the room and cocked a brow.

"What exactly are you trying to show me?" I asked, aloud. Wanting an answer about as much as I didn't want an answer. So when an unfamiliar female voice came over the intercom I went very, very still.

 **"Your mother loved you Tessa Kellen."**

My teeth clenched and I fought the urge to shoot the camera. "My mother loved her work and don't use my name! Who are you? And what do you want with me? I don't know anything about my mother's research."

 _'Zee'..._ The name meant nothing to me. Why would I name a Xenomorph and why can't I remember doing so?

The memory of the male Xenomorph I'd run into while defending Katie's home popped into my head. And I felt the fine hairs along my skin bristle to attention as I recalled his strange behavior towards me. Was he specimen 2?

 **"Your mother wanted to protect you."**

The voice snapped me back to reality. Brows furrowing in confusion, "Protect me from what?"

 **"Not what but whom."**

"Woman you're making my brain hurt! Just tell me already!"

 **"The final message was for you Tes- TK. The hologram is encrypted and can only be played with a password. Be warned. I am the only one currently monitoring you but the moment the file is no longer encrypted we will both be in trouble. "**

A sigh hissed through my teeth. "Then why help me at all? Do I at least get to know your name?"

 **"Call. My name is Call. I stumbled upon your mother's research by accident. She did not deserve to die the way that she did. Nor should she be blamed for the sins of others."**

The blood in my veins ran cold. "She died after releasing the Xenomorphs while aboard the Nebula Chaser. It crashed and the aliens that survived flooded the Earth."

 **"While that part about the Nebula Chaser crashing and the aliens is true, the part about your mother being at fault is incorrect."**

I stared up at the camera, feeling as though the world was collapsing around me.

 **"Play the hologram TK. We are running out of time. Eventually someone will notice what I'm doing, even if you don't play the last recording. It's been coded with a trap n' trace. Once you play it you must flee."**

"But I don't know the passcode?!" I said in frustration, hands automatically clasping the pendant at my throat.

 _"Never take it off"..._ My mother said, kissing my forehead like she always did. Those had been my mother's last words to me before leaving to go back to the Nebula Chaser. My thoughts drifted back to that day, trying to recall if she seemed more stressed than usual. When the Nebula Chaser crashed my nanny hid me in a closet and gave me strict instructions not to come out for anyone except her. She never came back and eventually I left the safety of the closet.

 _Where did I go after that?_

"Zee?" I said the name without thinking and jumped back in surprise as the hologram came to life.

 _ **"This is Dr. Christie Cher-"** _ The hologram shook her head vehemently, taking in a shuttering breath. _**"-mom. Its mom TK. If you're playing this message then that means I'm already dead. I'm so sorry baby. I shouldn't have come back to the Nebula Chaser once I figured out what Dr. Isles had done to you but I wanted to confront him for myself. TK-"** _ her words broke with a shuddering sob **_"-please believe me I had no idea. I should've been more suspicious when you named specimen 2, Zee but I shrugged it off since you are merely a child. I had no idea what Dr. Isles was doing behind my back. He put your life at risk letting that- that_ thing **_**come near you. I-"** _

The hologram turned towards the door and another hologram appeared. Memories of this man suddenly flitted across my mind, dragging with it a long forgotten fear. The hologram of a man in his early fifties with wispy grey hair and a scrawny build shouldn't have elicited such a strong reaction but it did. I knew this man and back when I was twelve he'd frightened me so badly that my mind buried the memories. The hologram of my mother looked at him in alarm and with good reason because the male had walked in with a gun in his hands. My eyes widened as fear and understanding dawned. These were my mother's final moments.

 _ **"Dr. Isles this is madness! What you're doing is unethical and outrageous!"** _

**_"Don't talk to me about unethical! Your hands are just as stained as my own Dr. Cherish. What I've done is created a bond between human and alien. Humans have the capacity to carry these creatures young without the fear of death. A hybrid, Dr. Cherish! A human hybrid-"_**

 ** _"She's my daughter!"_**

Dr. Isles shook his head, frowning. **_"The male is not sexually active yet. The bond between specimen 2 and your daughter isn't exactly what I had in mind but once the male reaches full maturity things might go more according to plan. I tried other candidates Dr. Cherish but the male has grown incredibly smart. He killed the other adult human females I tried to replace your daughter with."_**

 ** _"He will kill her too Dr. Isles! Once he loses interest he will kill her! These creatures are not dogs! They are not pets! You can not treat them as such and expect them to obey! The males were strictly created so that the Xenomorphs could evolve to reproduce without a human host. The Company would not approve-"_**

 ** _"The Company will approve once I show them undeniable facts. I believe a male Xenomorph once he's enthralled by a female, be it human or Xenomorph he will breed and listen explicitly to her call."_**

 ** _"That's madness!"_**

 ** _"No-"_** he raised the gun and fired **_"-that's progress."_**

The hologram of my mother stared at the blood blossomed over her heart. She fell to her knees.

"Mom!" I shouted, falling to my knees in an attempt to catch her. A sob tore free of my throat as the hologram fell through me and shattered. I cried, cradling my face in my hands as I wept. I'd spent the last eleven years hating her. Numbly I became aware of a high pitched wailing that had nothing to do with me but couldn't be bothered to investigate.

 **"TK! TK you must get up! I can't lock them out forever!"**

I blinked, rubbing the back of my hands across my eyes. Call shouted my name several times before I managed to glance up at the camera.

 **"Get out of there TK! You must get as far away as you can!"**

Legs shaking I hauled myself up, using the computer station for leverage. "Tell me what happened after."

 **"TK that facility is about to go into lockdown, once it does you won't be able to get out!"**

"Then tell me as I run," I shouted, clenching the spear in my hands as I darted out of the lab and down the corridor.

 **"Dr. Isles is responsible for the aliens getting loose. After he killed your mother- wait go the other direction!"**

I spun on my heel and went down a long hall that led to a set of double doors. My shoulder hit the door at a run and they flew open, leading into a cafeteria.

 **"After he shot your mother he placed specimen 2 on a transport ship with strict orders to bring him to this facility. Once Specimen 2 was safely off the Nebula Chaser he procured an escape pod for himself only minutes after every single cage housing a Xenomorph opened. Dr. Isles is the reason the ship crashed, he's the reason the Earth was consumed by aliens not your mother. That ship carried hundreds of facehuggers and mature drones. He probably thought everything would die in the crash but the eggs are extremely resilient and it would only take the survival of one facehugger to cause the downfall of the human race. Your mother figured out that in the absence of a Queen a facehugger that was meant to be a drone could change its own cellular structure to birth a Queen."**

"So what happened to Dr. Isles? Is he still alive?" If so I had a deep desire to find and kill him.

 **"He's dead. But you should know that TK- oh crap! TK they found me! Get out of there!"**

"Call? Call?!" I screamed but she never responded, meaning I was on my own. The alarm continued to wail and a sense of urgency hastened my steps. Although without the disembodied help of Call's voice I had no idea where to go. I expected to run into security measures but never thought for a second this place was still fully functional. Perhaps keeping it up in running is a in itself a security measure.

 _Unless by some chance they still run some form of testing here?_

Brow furrowing in anger I ran full tilt into another set of doors and bounced back, I yelped in surprise and stumbled back several steps. "What the hell!"

The palms of my hands burning from the solid slap of the heavy metal doors. I pressed against the bar along the doors middle and found it to be locked. A loud rattle caught my attention and I jumped back as a wall of bars fell from just above the door to effectively block the exit of the cafeteria. I glanced back the way I came and saw another set of bars fall in front of the doors I'd entered through, effectively trapping me.

 **'Attention: You have entered a restricted facility without the consent of the Weyland-Yutani Corp. Please remain where you are until the proper authorities arrive. If you continue the automated weapons system will come online. You have been warned.'**

The detached feminine computer voice did not belong to Call. It was simply an automated recording. The computer continued to play the same message over and over as the main lights went out, the red security lights continued to flash angrily though. It limited my visibility but I could see.

 _Oh yes please wait for the proper authorities TK. Pfft. Riiight. Why? So they can hand me over to scientists just as twisted as Dr. Isles? I'll take my chances with the security system thank you very much._

My fingers flexed around the round object at the small of my back. A parting gift from April. I only had two of them so if this didn't work then I was screwed anyway. The memory surfaced and I smiled recalling her words. _"Take these child. Better to go out with a bang than none at all. I truly hope you won't need them but should evil find you in that place make sure it regrets fucking with you."_

"Evil, huh?" I wondered aloud, heart hammering a death march as I pulled the pin.

* * *

 **Nracha-dte Halkrath POV**

The hunter perched casual atop a broken gargoyle several stories up and two building down from his intended target. Something interesting was taking place inside the building the ooman female had disappeared into. Red lights flicked on, their ominous glow spilled out onto the street and pulsated like the beat of a heart, then suddenly the light was gone as metal barricades slid over the windows. The female had obviously set off an alarm which bothered Halkrath greatly if only for the reason that he may not be able to claim his prize should the Marines arrive.

This thought unsettled him, if the space marines took her captive where did that leave him? He will have wasted countless hours chasing his prey without the satisfaction of claiming her.

 _Claiming?_ Halkrath shook his head, growling with a growing impatience and barely restrained ire. What was wrong with him? His behavior of late resembled that of an unblooded adolescent. A _pauking_ youngblood!

The warrior stood abruptly, corded muscles wound tight as he exercised more restraint than necessary to keep himself from going in after her. If other oomans took her then the chase would be over. The hunt would be over.

Displeasure curled in his chest as he stared hard at the building, willing the little female to make a grand escape-

The second level windows sudden blew out with an explosive force that rocked the secure building. Fire licked at the gaping holes, sending up plumes of smoke. Halkrath blinked, his indifferent personality waning at the irritating thought that his prey might have killed herself, thus ending his fun prematurely. His body jerked with the urge to investigate but he held fast as the ooman female emerged from the building, leaping through the fire and dropping the two stories to land almost gracefully on her feet.

 _Impressive,_ he thought. His brow raised as she held his combistick in her grip, her lithe body tense and crouched as she cast a wary glance around. Thinking she was relatively safe and alone the female stood and began stretched her legs with a scowl as if the landing was actually a lot less graceful than it had appeared. Halkrath's shoulders shook with a silent chuckle as the interesting ooman female did the strangest jig to shake her limbs loose, watching her antics fascinated him to no end.

The hunter blinked, unsure why he'd found himself so suddenly enthralled with her that he actually lost focus. His ire returned with avengence but this time it wasn't aimed at the ooman female, no this time he turned his anger on himself. He couldn't lose focus. Not now. It was dark out and the female was utterly alone and armed no less with his own combistick. There would never be a more opportune time to strike.

* * *

 **TK's POV**

My ankles throbbed, hell my butt throbbed, the landing felt cool but the strain it put on my legs was anything but. I shook out my limbs in an attempt to get rid of the pins and needles feeling to no avail. With a cough I took a couple more steps back away from the burning Stratus building but remained close to it's heat. Standing in the middle of the darkened streets made me uneasy but if there were any Xenomorphs close by the fire would make them think twice before attacking.

Squinting I couldn't help but stare up at the blazing heat and light. The grenade might have been overkill but at least I'd made a statement.

 _Burn baby burn..._

This place may not have been necessarily _the_ evil April had been referring too but there was something profoundly dark and seedy about it. Something happened to me in this place a long time ago and as badly as I wanted to remember it, the knowledge of what had transpired against my mother was more pressing. She'd been murdered and Dr. Isles not only got away with that murder but he'd pinned the blame for the apocalypse on her and like a fool I'd believed it.

 _"He's dead. But you should know that TK..."_ Calls last words ran rampant in my head. How could I have known he was dead when I didn't even know that my mother had been murdered?!

 _Damn it Call!_

As angry as I was, whoever Call was I owed her a debt of gratitude. Without her help I would've never gotten this much information. If not for her intervention I may still be trapped inside the building because she'd delayed the security features. Thinking about her situation made me anxious and I hoped like hell she'd be alright.

 _So what now-_

My thoughts trailed off as awareness sent a warning chill cascading down my spine. Three red dots in a triangular shape appeared over my heart, I swallowed thickly, willing my body to move but my legs refused. The cold understanding that something far more dangerous than Xenomorphs was hunting me, paralyzed me to the core. I glanced up and followed the path of the laser dots and there a dark figure crouched on the roof of one of the buildings. He stood to his full height and my eyes widened at his sheer size. Shimmering blue sparks crackled over him and suddenly he disappeared completely from sight but the laser still aimed at my heart told me where he was. A deafening roar shook me free of my shock and I barely managed to throw myself to the side as he fired.

 _Run!_

Back on my feet, I fled into the darkness, no longer concerned with the scavengers or Xenomorphs. I stood a better chance with them than I did with the Predator that was hunting me. He'd obviously missed the shot on purpose. He wanted me to run, he wanted to be able to chase me.

 _He wants the thrill of the hunt..._

Grim determination steeled my gut. If this guy wanted a fight he would get one and I would pour every ounce of pain and contempt into it. A part of me wanted to simply dissolve into a gibbering mess after everything I'd just learned but fuck if I'm aloud a mental repreve.

A humorless giggle burbled up from my chest. My mother had been murdered and the one who killed her was supposedly dead. Without vengeance where did that leave me? It left me with nothing but unrelenting discontent. Maybe even a bit unbalanced as I ran through the sinister streets of the Wilds hoping to get caught. The possibility of death gave me something other than my mother, Dr. Isles and the strange male Xenomorph to think about. A fight I could handle and focus on, emotions... I'd rather take my chances with the big bad behind me.

The streets were far too open I realized as the heat of another shot missed me by mere inches and took out an old delivery truck with a loud explosion. I yelped and ducked my head as fiery debris rained down around me.

 _I can't fight this guy out in the open!_

The streets were nearly pitch black but if I could see then so could he. It left my back to exposed. Legs pumping I got off the street and began winding through alleys in search of an open door.

 _Where's a Xenomorph when you need one?!_

My hand just barely clasped a door standing ajar when a weight barreled into me and sent me sprawling. I caught myself and somehow managed to get the spear up in time to block his next attack. Metal clanged against the shaft of the spear and I felt my legs begin to shake as he push me down with immense strength. There was a soft static-like sound before the Predator suddenly materialized in all his seven foot plus glory. A hulking mass made up of pure muscle and a bad attitude. He pressed the twin blades against the spear a little harder and I realized just how outclassed I truly was as they slid dangerously towards my throat. While I used all of my strength just to remain standing he wasn't even breaking a sweat.

Just as the blades nicked the skin over my rampant pulse a shrill shriek ripped through the night. Instinctively we both glanced up and in the blink of an eye three Xenomorphs were on us. My teeth clicked together as I hit the ground but I'd managed to keep the spear up, the obsidian creature on top of me hissed its inner jaws snapping the air just centimeters from my nose. The alien shrieked in displeasure, its clawed hands gripped the spear attempting to gain leverage. The menacing roar of the Predator made my hair stand on end. Above me the alien bared it silvery teeth, I felt the Browning against the small of my back and knew I wouldn't get to it fast enough but the .45 was still tucked into the waistband of my cargo pants. I went for it but didn't get the chance to use it as the alien was suddenly wrenched off of me.

I was back on my feet in an instant, hands clenched tightly around the spear. The Predator had his hands full between the three Xeno's and the narrow alleyway made it difficult for them to maneuver. Smiling impishly I charged forward at the swirling mass of clashing titans. The Predator's gaze flicked towards me and I flashed my teeth at him as I fell back on one knee and literally slid under his legs like a batter sliding into home. He gave a roar of frustration as I raced back out of the alley, leaving him to deal with the aliens.

Xenomorphs rarely show up in such small numbers, they run in packs. I'd only made it half a block until more were on me. I yelped as razor fine talons sliced deeply into my calf but welcomed the pain as it brought on another jolt of adrenaline. Thinking quickly I flicked the catch and the spear retracted then I dropped to the ground and rolled under a car. The alien shrieked in fury when it tried to crawl under after me and couldn't. Like cats, if they can fit their head into it the aliens body will follow but this car sat on its rims and the alien couldn't get its long sloping head to fit.

 _Woohoo having no tits or ass finally pays off!_

Dust clouds puffed in my face as I breathed. I pulled the .45 and fired directly into the aliens maw as it still tried to snap at me. Yellow acidic blood dribbled onto the asphalt, sizzling and giving off the foul stench of burning rubber. The alien shrieked and retreated. It wasn't dead though and these creatures are fiercely determined when it comes to their prey. The .45 may have hurt it but it wouldn't kill it. No all I'd really done is piss it off.

The alien threw itself at the car making it rock dangerously above me. I crawled out of the other side and began to race through the graveyard of abandoned vehicles. When the Las Vegas outbreak accord people's first reaction had been to get in their cars and flee but you can't get hundreds of vehicles through even the widest streets of Vegas. They'd trapped themselves, making them easier prey because a glass windshield or even the metal shell of a car is no match for a Xenomorph.

I felt the hairs on the back of my neck leap to attention and I spun, feet planted with the spear out in front of me. A Xenomorph was already mid air and about to pounce. My thumb slipped over the catch just as the alien collided with me. The spears dual blades sunk through flesh and bone as the Xeno skewered itself with its own momentum. I lost my balance and went sprawling on my ass.

The sizzling sound and the smell of burning material had me momentarily distracted as I struggled out of the jacket. The arm guards had spared my flesh but the jacket and the long sleeve black shirt were history. The leather jacket had been a gift from Katie and I would mourn the loss of it later when I wasn't up to my none existent tits in aliens and Predators.

A hiss drew my gaze up as another alien leapt over the dead one, its maw stretched wide. Its head exploded in a spray of bone, brainmatter and yellow blood as I fired an explosive round into its face. The body fell to a heap at my feet and I had only a moment to be impressed that I'd pulled the gun without even thinking before I heard the sound of scraping claws behind me. I was on my feet in an instant, grabbing the spear and wrenching it from the alien's body. In my periphery I could see the movement of several shadowy figures but refused to leave the spear. It wasted several precious seconds but the weapon was just too damn reliable. Placing a booted foot on the things sloping skull I jerked with all my might and like before my thumb hit the catch sending me back on my ass at it suddenly retracted.

My eyes went wide as two blurring forms streaked towards me. Their obsidian exoskeleton-like bodies bled into the darkness making them impossible for me to track. However the Predator apparently could track them as he appeared from thin air shooting one with the strange weapon mounted on his shoulder and tackling the other from behind. His blade pierced its skull with ease, killing it instantly. He flicked the blood from his blades before sharply turning his attention to me, the movement causing his dred-like hair to arc around his broad head.

He roared and I ran, slinging the blood from the spear as I did so. Cars started exploding around me as he fired several more shots from that wicked shoulder cannon, hastening my run and making my ears ring.

 _Get off the road! Get off the road!_

I darted into the closest building, hoping like hell I didn't run face first into the gaping maw of a Xenomorph. The darkness grew thicker inside the building, blocking out the natural lighting provided by the stars and moon. I hated the dark.

The Predator obviously had better vision, unhindered by the blanketing darkness. He'd been able to kill those two Xeno's without so much as a hitch in his stride while my brain had barely comprehended they'd been there at all.

 _This was a mistake!_

Just as I thought it, I felt a large claw tipped hand push me forward. I gave a cry of frustration and fought for balance while spinning around with the spear up. My breath came in heavy pants as I searched the darkness but I couldn't see a damn thing.

The Predator made several sharp clicking sounds causing my brows to raise. He growled and it reverberated around the room making it hard to determine its origins.

"The hell do you want with me fucker?!" I shouted, proud that my voice sounded strong and didn't reflect the fear twisting in my gut.

"The hell do you want with me fucker..."

Every cell in my body froze with shock and terror of hearing my own distorted voice played back at me. In front of me I saw the eyes of his helmet flash red and then he was on me. He hit me hard in the chest and I cried out in surprise and pain. My thumb hit the catch and I heard the spear extend with a soft _shink._

However without the ability to see my opponent I couldn't do anything other than wait for the strikes to come. I'd lost my flashlight back at the Stratus building and this guy didn't fight like a Xenomorph. I've fought enough of those to at least be able to somewhat predict how they move and fight but this guy... this guy was a different kind of hunter.

I felt the subtle shift of the air change in the stillness, my only warning to bring the spear up. The metal clanged loudly as I managed to block his strike. He roared and thrust his weight against the spear and the air left my lungs as his punch connected with my chest. I stumbled back several steps, barely managing a gasp as instinct had me bring the spear up again. His blades scraped against the shaft of the spear again. I dropped, hoping to make him stumble as I grabbed the .45 and aimed up. I fired two shots, the muzzle flash lit up the space between us and I got a good look at an open clawed hand before it slapped the gun from my hand.

I choked as one of those lethal hands wrapped around my throat, claws digging into the flesh of my neck as he raised me off of the ground with a stupid amount of ease. Apparently he'd forgotten about the spear I still held. Dangling as I was I couldn't thrust it into his chest but I did manage to drive the spears head into his thigh. He roared and threw me, I hit the ground skinning my knees and the palms of my hands as I struggled to right myself.

Horror unlike anything I've ever felt before wrenched a scream from my throat as the floor abruptly ended and gravity pulled me down like the devil dragging me into hell. The spear slipped from my grasp as I fell ass over teakettle into a seemingless endless black pit and I knew in that moment I was going to die. My life didn't flash before my eyes but I felt oddly at peace with what was about to happen. So I closed my eyes and welcomed death's embrace.

* * *

 **Authors Note: Mwuahahahahaha cliff hanger! Fear not my pretties for I am already working on the next chapter! Hope you all enjoyed this one. TK got some vital answers but was left with new questions. I stole Call from Alien: Resurrection if anyone caught that :) To my TMNT friends out there the title of the chapter was Shell Shocked. Such a fun song to listen to while writing the fight scenes! And man I seriously enjoyed the hell out of writing this chapter. I'm sure there's mistakes but I reread it so many times I'm going cross eyed. Oh let me know if I should start adding Yautja term definitions at the end.**

 **Q &A: Some of you have expressed curiosity in the male Xeno. Don't worry he will reappear. He does play a role in this story. Oh someone asked how I keep my Yautja in character. Well it's difficult I'll say that much. Some characters are annoyingly difficult while others write themselves. Would you believe me if I said I just visualized a bunch of other characters? I took a bit of Uchiha Sasuke, a bit of Uchiha Itachi both from Naruto and added Raphael from TMNT and poof I got my Yaujta. **

**Q &A: A guest asked me to explain why my story doesn't appear on the main AVP page when I update. The answer is because of the rating. If a story is rated M then the site won't post it on the main page due to the Mature content warning. That goes for any story rated M. I suggest making an account. You don't have to write or publish a single thing just use it to keep track of the stories you read. Hope I've answered all the questions. If I've left any questions unanswered it probably means you'll get the answer in a future chapter ;)**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Predator or alien. I wish like hell that I did though!**

 **P.S. Thank you everyone for your wonderful reviews! You all have been incredibly supportive!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Crazy In A Good Way**

 _Death's embrace is oddly... warm._

I curled into the warmth. A large hand rested on my back while another threaded through my hair and pressed my head firmly against said warmth. The hand on my lower back ghosted over the wounds there and I flinched groaning in discomfort, the hand stilled and I felt the soft vibrations of purr tease along my skin.

My eyes snapped open.

 _Purr?_

* * *

 **Nracha-dte Halkraths POV**

What he was doing was wrong. Yet Halkrath couldn't find it in himself to care at the moment, not while the little ooman female laid sprawled on top of him. Her scream of terror when she'd fallen had awoken something primal within, the instinct to protect her had come naturally and couldn't be ignored. Without hesitation he jumped down after her, pulled her into his arms and rolled them in order to take the brunt of the fall. The impact had left him winded and in pain but had he not intervened the fall would've easily killed the fragile ooman.

Now Halkrath stared at the sprawling tangle of blonde curls in front his face wondering how the hell he'd aloud something like this to happen. Because the feel of her rampant heart and the sound of her even breaths brought a startling amount of clarity of what exactly his instincts or rather intuition had been trying to tell him all along.

 _It can't be..._

Unconsciously he tightened his grip, causing the female to stir. She flinched and Halkrath realized he touched her tender wounds. Purring is both a natural and instinctual reaction when soothing a Yautja female, except that this wasn't a Yautja female and Halkrath had never purred for anyone. Not like this. Yet here he was purring for an _ooman._

The female tensed and lifted her head, her blue orbs snapped open and Halkrath knew he was already in too deep.

 _Pauk!_

* * *

 **TK's POV**

I lifted my gaze and darkness greeted me. If I squinted I could just make out the shape of a familiar broad helmet and went very still as understand dawned, bringing with it a torrent of confusion and fear. I'd fallen down... what? I glanced around but couldn't determine exactly what I'd fallen through. An elevator shaft if I had to hazard a guess.

My gaze returned to the Predator's mask, my brows furrowing in confusion as I recalled the feel of his arms pulling me into his chest. The protective way one clawed hand came up to cradle my fragile human skull even as he twisted us so that his body would absorb the impact.

 _But why?_

"Why?" I asked suddenly, voice low and uncertain.

The outline of the helmet tilted and I realized he cocked his head at the question. His large hands moved to my hips and a blush scalded my cheeks as I took notice of our intimate contact. I joke about my short stature and scrawny ass all the time but never felt necessarily small but at this moment I felt tiny, fitting in his arms the way a child might fit in the arms of an adult. It caused my heart to ramp up in tempo knowing that all he had to do was flex those hands and I'd snap in half.

He must have sensed or possibly even smelled the sudden spike of fear because he responded by purring louder. The vibrations raised the fine hairs along my skin and oddly enough eased the wild trepidation.

 _What the heck is up with this guy? First he stalks me, saves my ass, stalks me again, then goes for a full blown fight only to rescue me again?_ Talk about mixed signals. I didn't know whether to bolt or sit perfectly still and hope he couldn't see me... no wait that only works on a T-rex.

Clearing my throat I made an attempt to get up but stopped as he dug those dagger tipped fingers into my flesh. One of those hands began to travel along my back, ghosting over the healing wound as if he were inspecting it. The blush staining my face grew hotter as I remembered discarding both my jacket and shirt to rid myself of the Xeno's acidic blood, leaving me only clad in black sports bra.

The embarrassment subsided though as I realized he seemed to just be curious. It didn't feel like he was going to let me up anytime soon so I did my best not to fidget, even as the aches and pains began to return.

Eventually my own curiosity got the better of me as my fingers hesitantly slid over his chest, marveling at the dense and well maintained muscle beneath me. His purring intensified, clearly not averse to having his body explored. My fingers tested the strange almost metallic netting covering his thick, rough skin and I wondered briefly what its purpose was. The armor pieces seemed to only protect mostly vital areas and not much else. Encourage by his strange purring I leaned forward, pointedly ignoring the heat radiating off of him as my chest nearly brushed his. I reached out but he caught my hand before I could get a better feel of the dreadlock-esque appendages crowning his head. To be honest I'm not even sure why I'd wanted to touch them in the first place but he clearly didn't want me too. Making me itch to touch them even more just to see what would happen.

For a tense moment we stayed frozen that way, neither of us sure what to do next. The shrill cry of a Xenomorph brought me to my feet in an instant and the Predator followed, the cry sounded far away but it wouldn't take them long to find us. The heat of the Predators chest leeched into the skin of my back as he pressed himself against me. I stiffened at the contact, wishing I could see his face as I tilted my head back and saw only the vague outline of his mask. He quite literally towered over me with his impressive seven or eight foot form, again making me feel annoyingly small. Was our momentary truce over?

"Umm..." I hesitated, unsure what to say. Hell I wasn't even sure he would understand. "So you're not gonna kill me... right?"

He made a series of clicks and stepped to the side of me so he could fiddle with something on his arm. A computer I thought, guessing by the soft red glow it cast and the little sounds it emitted.

"Nooo-T preeey."

My eyes flew wide and I shifted to get a better look at him in the eerie glow of the red light. The words came out in a strained hiss and he'd hit the vowels and the T a little hard but he'd definitely said 'not prey'.

"Well... thanks? I guess." I couldn't stop staring, shocked to the core that he'd understood me and could respond. "Then why did you try to kill me in the first place?"

He tilted his head, pausing momentarily before he answered. "Weere preey."

"Right," I said dryly. "Okay now what big bad? You lead I'll foll -oh shit you're bleeding!" He glanced down at his thigh, noticing the fluorescent green glow of his blood as it oozed down to his calf. He looked back at me and trilled in agitation. "Oh right. My bad."

 _Did I seriously just apologize for hurting him while defending myself? He'd attacked me damn it!_

He cocked his head and trilled again, softer this time. "You're bleeding."

My words were played back at me and I frowned. "Huh?"

He crouched suddenly, brushing my arm aside has he grabbed my left calf. It took every ounce of control I had not to scream at the sudden movement and intrusion into my personal space. His oddly gentle grip lifted my leg and I grabbed his shoulder for balance. Even crouched he was still really tall and the top of his head brushed my breasts causing me to blush again. He didn't seem to notice though as he examined the claw marks on my calf. Caught up in everything else I'd completely forgotten that a Xeno had tagged me. Of course now that I was aware of it the cuts began to sting like crazy.

"It's not bad. I've got medical tape in my bag." Actually where was my bag? Must have dropped it in the fall.

A small squeak of surprise escaped me as the Predator suddenly gripped my wrist and pulled me into a sitting position beside him.

"Okay wasn't the point for us to move on? You know find a way out?"

He made a non conmental huff and proceeded to pull something from the equipment mounted on his shoulder rig. The glow of his computer wasn't very bright but I could make out something strange in his hands. My eyes grew a little round as I watched him close the wound on his thigh with the contraption in his hand. He grunted in discomfort but didn't even flinch as he stapled the wound closed before wiping it clean.

"Blood draw kiande amendha." He rasped, leaning in close to grab my ankle in a firm grip. "MusssT close."

 _Kiande amendha? Is he talking about Xenomorphs?_

He began twisting my leg and I knew exactly what he was going to do. I gasped as the first staple went in and pinched the skin closed. It hurt like a bitch and I dug my nails into the wood beneath me. Once he closed the wounds he wiped the blood off and tore the shredded fabric of the lower part of my cargos, using the strips to wrap it tight. It probably wasn't the most sanitary thing but I could properly clean it later.

 _Why the hell is he being so damn nice to me?_

When the Predator stood I didn't follow as I began searching the ground for my bag. This whole place was pitch black and I wholeheartedly wished for the flashlight I'd lost to the lasers back in the Stratus building. My fingers brushed the familiar fabric and I wrenched it free of the pile of debris. I've packed this thing a million times so it wasn't a problem to take stock of my gear in the dark. Everything seemed still intacted accept one of the straps was broken. I slipped the remaining strap over my body and across my chest instead of over my shoulder.

Feeling better that I wouldn't be traipsing around the dark without my gear I stood up and peered around the thick blackness.

 _He's gone..._

The Predator had disappeared and I couldn't help the bitterness seeping into my heart. Just because he no longer considered me prey didn't mean we were pals. So what exactly had I expected? Furthermore why did the sudden loss of his presence leave me feeling so very... alone. Being alone has never bothered me before.

 _Get a grip TK!_ I shook the foreign feeling away and began carefully picking my way through the debris. My foot bumped something along the ground and it made a metallic scraping sound against the floor. I leaned over and gripped the familiar body of the spear. _Well at least he was kind enough to leave this behind for me._

Taking a breath, I tried my best to get a better feel of my surroundings. Wherever I was no natural lighting touched it but I got a sense that the area around me was big. Best to find a wall and follow along side it. The air down here was stale with zero flow to give me better directionality. It smelled musty and faintly of long dead decaying things. I'd definitely heard the cry of a Xeno earlier yet I found it odd that I wasn't already up to my asscheeks with the beasties. This place was a perfect dwelling for them and yet I felt confident that none were close by.

 _How strange..._

Using the extended spear as a guide, I gently tapped the ground in front of me with it, the same way someone without sight would. The dark pressed around me, making me edgy. The cloying black in front of my field of vision scared me on a visceral level and I would've given my left hand for a flashlight. The beat of my heart sounded ridiculously loud in the silence but as hard as I tried I couldn't seem to calm down. I had yet to find a wall and had no sense of time or real direction.

The darkness seemed to be taking on ominous shapes, causing my heart to thrum even louder. A soft scrap brought me to a dead halt as I spun, eyes wildly searching and seeing nothing. Between the emotional rollercoaster and the overall exhaustion my mind was starting to play tricks on me. Or at least that's what I repeatedly told myself in an attempt to stave off the utter panic trying to consume me.

 _"Evil has taken root in the blood soaked earth..."_

Another scrape and I spun again, holding the spear out in front of me. Breaths coming in fast bursts as the rush of adrenaline surged through my veins.

 _Calm down TK! You've gotta calm-_

The hairs on the back of my neck shot up and I turned with a cry, thrusting the spear out. Something caught it and jerked me forward, spinning me so that my back pressed against a wall.

"No!" I shrieked. Flailing madly as a thick tail wrapped around my upper body, restraining my movements. Heart flapping like a caged bird, beating violently against my ribs. The tail restricted me further as the Xenomorph wrenched the spear from my grip. Amidst my fruitless struggles I dimly became aware of purring.

I opened my eyes and stopped struggling. The purr intensified and I felt a relief so profound that I nearly went limp.

 _Not a Xenomorph..._

The Predator's body heat seeped into my pores, calming my racing heart. I pressed my back firmly into his chest, unsure why I felt so comforted by a creature who'd tried to kill me only hours ago. It was ridiculous. Crazy even! But crazy in an oddly good way.

"You came back," I whispered, breathily. I didn't care why he came back or even why he'd left me alone in the first place, not when every fiber of my being felt electrified by his touch. I could reflect upon what that meant later for now I just wanted to remain this way.

He trilled softly, followed by a series of clicks before putting some space between us. The loss of his heat left me feeling discontent but I refrained from reaching out to him like some freaking damsel in distress.

He pressed the spear back into my hands and I took it.

"What now?" I asked.

After a beat he spoke in that low gravelly voice, "Follow."

I felt him start to move away and panicked a little bit. Reaching out, my fingers brushed against his back and he stilled. Licking my lips I said, "I can't see."

Half turning he grabbed my hand and pressed it flush against the hard planes of his lower back before continuing forward. Stupidly I smiled and followed along close behind with my hand on his back as a guide. At first it was hard to keep up with his long strides and after about the third trip over my own much shorter gate he huffed and slowed his pace.

The floor remained mostly clear of ankle twisting debris but every once in awhile he'd slightly move to one side or the other and I got a sense that he was leading me around more tripping hazards. It annoyed me how easy it was for him to traverse the dark and got me wondering about the helmet he wore. Did he naturally have superior sight or did the helmet give him the ability to see things I could not? Perhaps even both. The helmet seemed to also contain a way to record the things I say and I hadn't considered until now why that might be. A translator of some form or other. I only suspected this because of the way he would pause before responding and when he was uncertain how to say things he simply played the recording back. Of course it probably served a dual purpose. Hearing my own voice played back to me that first time had definitely been an attempt to scare me and it had worked too.

After a short time things grew a little clearer, faint though it was some form of lighting was filtering in from somewhere. I could clearly see the outline of his tall form, the shadows played along the well toned curvature of his spine in an artful way. Accentuated each individual muscle as they moved and flexed beneath his skin which was smoother than I originally thought. Scars crisscrossed the length of his back and shoulders, things with very big teeth and claws had marked his skin. Instead of being disfiguring the scars only emphasized his masculinity.

My eyes flicked to a scar just above my fingers, it curved and dipped down over his hip. Unconsciously my fingers slid up to it and traced the smooth raised surface.

The Predator stopped and glanced back at me, cocking his head as I immediately pulled my hand away. He trilled at me before continuing. Hesitantly I reached back out and placed my fingertips on his lower back. He didn't stop or even acknowledge the touch as he continued on. Technically I didn't need to touch him in order to move anymore but I rather liked the contact.

 _Oh my god what is wrong with me?!_ Mentally I flogged myself. _Clearly this is some form of stockholm syndrome!_

He stopped and I was so entrenched in my own crazy thoughts that I didn't take notice until I ran face first into the wall of muscle.

"Damn it!" I instantly took a step back, rubbing my nose. "What give-" I shut up, noticing how we were standing in the middle of large patch of faint light. I followed his gaze up before taking in the area.

"It's a stage." I said, pointing to the pulley system against a wall. The platform leading to the stage was beneath our feet, big enough to raise a considerable amount of performers up. "There should be a side ladder somewhere." I commented absently, making my way over to the wall and pulley system.

Without warning I found myself back in the Predators hold, my back to his chest.

"What are-"

He placed a hand over my mouth, pulling me tightly to him, moving us into deeper shadow. I tilted my head back and glared up at him just as I heard the hiss. My back stiffened and I looked straight up.

 _Oh my god... that's a fucking-_

The Xenomorph Queen shrieked from her perch above us on the stage, her long powerful tail poised to strike. The Predator took the spear from me and shoved me back against the wall.

"Ssss-Taay."

 _Did he just seriously tell me to stay?!_

He didn't look back at me as he jumped and kicked off the wall in a powerful leap that sent him up through the open stage. The Predator gave a menacing growl as he engaged the Queen. She shrieked in fury and they both disappeared from my sight.

I stared stupidly for a moment then shook off the shock of him being able to clear twenty feet with ease and began looking for a more mundane way to get up.

 _Stupid Predator with his stupid ability to make me feel so fucking out classed! And where the hell does he get off telling me to stay! Arf! Arf! Fuck you dude! Ugh! Men! They are the same no matter the fucking species!_

Growling, I made my way over to the wall and found a ladder. I took the rungs two at a time, only slipping once when my hand came in contact with Xeno slime.

 _Her nest might be up there._ I thought as I pushed on the trapdoor. Upon opening the hatch I immediately spotted the Queen as she searched through the rows and piles of old seats. The Predator was cloaked and making her life very difficult.

My attention was momentarily stolen from the fight as I took shocking notice of the eggs. Hundreds of them, all of them smashed or partially eaten. There were even half eaten carcusses of several long dead drones scattered about. This is where the scent of death and decay emanated from. The Queen had been cannibalizing her own young, something I have never even heard of before. Normally the Queens were extremely protective so why had this one gone off the deep end?

A roar brought my head up and a watched in horror as the Predator's cloak deactivated upon impact with a wall. The Queen lowered her head and I noticed a chunk of her crown was missing along with part of her face. The old wound had healed and left part of her skull exposed along the right side of her jaw. With an injury like that it was a wonder she was alive at all.

 _Could this be_ the _Queen? The one that built her nest under the Strip?_ The thought seemed rather silly but that wound could've easily been made by an explosive. The body had been buried under a ton of rubble after the airstrike so even though it seemed highly unlikely perhaps the Queen they thought they'd killed had actually survived. With severe brain trauma to boot.

She tossed her head back and shrieked, barreling towards the Predator. He shook himself, dreads fanning around his head as he did so. With arms wide open he roared at the charging Queen before expertly dodging her tail.

 _"Evil has taken root in the blood soaked earth..."_

"April you have no idea," I whispered, watching as the Queen moved in a desperate attempt to catch her prey. No wonder nothing else lived here, they were all too afraid of being eaten by their own matriarch.

The Queen reared up on her hind legs, she had to be just over twenty feet in height. Her twin sets of arms spread wide as she screamed with rage. The Predator may have met his match with this one. Quickly I scrambled up and out of the trapdoor, the Queen took notice of my movement and turned her disfigured head in my direction.

 _Peachy!_

* * *

 **Nracha-dte Halkrath POV**

Trouble. The little ooman female was nothing but trouble. Halkrath couldn't even recall a time his composure ever faltered in his life and yet he'd already slipped up half a dozen times thanks to this insufferable little ooman female! Paya knows he tried to leave her! Except the moment she was out of his sight the need for her became almost crippling. And now here she was making herself a bloody target!

 _Pauk! Why do females never listen?!_

Halkrath roared but the kiande amedha Queens attention could not be diverted from the ooman female. With a loud shriek she ignored the hunter and went after her new target. The ooman. _His_ ooman.

 _Mine..._ He thought with a predatory growl.

Spear in hand he charged after the Queen, his helmet switching to heat signatures. The Queen was nearly on top of the ooman while the ooman...

 _What in Paya?!_

* * *

 **TK's POV**

I saw this in a movie once. A small thrill ran through me as I grabbed the rope, cut the line and barely managed to hold on as the weight of the sandbags falling to the ground sent me sailing up into the rafters. The Queens maw, full of silver fangs as long as I was tall snapped at the air just under my feet as I continued to rise. With a shake of her massive head she looked up at me and my eyes widened realizing how much I looked like bait on a hook. The sandbag hit the floor and I stopped several feet below the catwalks, dangling like tasty morsel just above her massive sloping dome. If I stretched out my toes I could kick the crest along her head.

 _Okay so this was a super bad idea!_

The Queen tilted her head up and I swear to the gods she smirked, exposing more of her hideously disfigured jaw. I started to go for the Browning watching in horror as those jaws opened wide, the inner jaws opening at the same time to shoot out and plow straight through my chest. In the next instant a blueish explosion hit her in the neck, throwing the massive beast off balance with a shrill cry of rage. It didn't take her long to right herself, yellow acidic blood oozing down her body to drip onto the floor. She lashed her tail angrily, her attention momentarily off me while she went after the Predator.

 _Why isn't he cloaking?_

The impact with the wall must've messed up his ability to cloak. Other than his injured thigh he seemed relatively unscathed for a guy who just left a full body imprint in a solid wall. It's not fair damn it! A creature with that much muscle mass shouldn't be able to move with such predatory grace and stealth. He danced around the Queens attacks and the wide hole in the floor as if it had been choreographed. And here I was just struggling to make a six foot climb up a rope.

Grip slipping, I ripped my eyes off the two titans below me and climbed hand over hand, arm muscles straining the whole way. I gripped the metal railing of the catwalk and heaved myself over and hit the catwalks metal floor with an 'oof' and a ding to the forehead.

"Damn it!" I grumbled, rubbing the spot above my left eyebrow as I got to my feet.

A low hiss sent my hackles up with a fright and I spun, stumbling back on my butt as a Xenomorph uncurled itself from a rafter to drop down a mere two feet in front of me. Clearly even though the Queen was a danger to her offspring, her shrill cries were hard for them to ignore. Another one dropped down right behind the first and I seriously wished I had the spear right about now.

"Stranger danger! Stranger danger!" I shouted, scrambling back on all fours. With a knife in my hand and the .45 in my waistband I wasn't doing so hot. I had the Browning tucked at the small of my back along with the other grenade but the catwalk severely limited my movements. The grenade would be a last resort and the Browning only had three explosive rounds left which would work if I didn't mind showering in acid blood. Hmm choices, choices.

All of this I grasped within the span of a heart beat. The obsidian aliens were also limited by the size of the catwalk, unable to walk abreast which caused them to squabble over who got lunch first. My eyes flicked up as they snapped at each other and I smiled. The .45 was in my hand as if it just materialized there and I fired. The two Xeno's snapped their attention back to me in time to get a faceful of heavy stage lights. Under pressure I am a really good shot and I'd hit one of the ropes holding up the large multicolored lights dead-on sending them swinging down on one side. The two Xeno's shrieked in surprise as they went flying over the railing and down to the stage below. I poked my head out between the metal supports on the rails and winced as the Queen snatched up one of the drones and shook it in her maw like a ragdoll. The other tried to run away only to get impaled by the Queens tail.

The Predator glanced up at me and I got the distinct impression he was not amused with me dropping more critters down there with him. Well he can suck it.

The Queen bit the Xeno in her jaws in half, acid blood arcing through the air as she tossed the pieces aside. The Predator threw himself to the side as the yellow blood splashed the ground where he'd just been standing. The acid blood was all over the stage now and I could hear a low groan as it struggled to support her weight. An idea hit me but I would need the Predators help to pull it off. Problem, I had no idea what his name was and Predator was a human term. How could I get his attention without garnering the Queens?

 _This is so not going to work!_

Getting back on my feet I leaned over the railing and felt a wave of embarrassment heat my cheeks as I thrust my tongue against the roof of my mouth in an attempt to mimic the click sounds he makes.

 _What if I accidentally say something like 'fuck me twice' or 'I like the way you're feet taste' or something else equally stupid!_ Then again my clicks may not register as anything at all since our vocal cords were so different.

The first click didn't seem to do a damn thing as the Predator flitted about, dodging the quickly disintegrating floor and the Queens tail. Blowing out a breath of frustration I clucked my tongue several more times. The Predators head jerked up and I quickly made a motion with my hands at the floor beneath her then thrust my flat palms down to indicate the collapse. He barely dodged the Queens tail, rolling into a crouch and jumping back while throwing a disk of some kind that embedded itself in the Queens throat. She screamed and clawed at the projectile, giving him a spare moment to look back up and nod. The Predator circled the Queen, she took notice and followed, spilling acid blood as she went. The damaged done to the Queens brain had been really bad if she didn't even notice the way her blood ate through the floor under her feet. Most of her attempts to go after the Predator were uncoordinated, almost sloppy but that didn't make those strikes any less lethal.

Chaos ensued below me as three other Xeno's came charging after the Predator. So strong was their telepathic connection to the Queen that they would risk being eaten to aid her. The flurry of movement seemed to confuse the damaged Queen as she hissed and made a long shrill cry of rage. Her massive head swinging from side to side and her tail thrashing about to strike at the wood floor. The Predator had his hands full now. I needed to figure out a way to help him.

The large spot lights hung precariously by a single rope, swaying just above the huge Xenomorphs crested head. Knife still in hand I climbed up on the rail, heart thumping as I teetered dangerously while trying to keep my balance on the four inch wide rail.

 _Don't look down! Don't look down!_

I looked and swallowed hard to shove my heart back down where it belonged. Another line leading up into the rafters hung next to the gently swaying lights. I grabbed the free line and twirled it around my wrist before leaning out a little further to grab the rope that held the lights. The damn thing had to weigh over a hundred pounds. Carefully as I could I cut the rope. The old rope gave easily, snapping moments before I thought it would and nearly taking me with it as it fell and hit the Queens head with loud clap. She shrieked, falling on her side and flailing about like an upturned turtle for a second. Two of the drones came to her aid, they just couldn't help it and paid the price as the Queen bit one's head clean off and threw the other with a strong sweep of her tail. I'd barely caught sight of the Predator sinking his spear into the sloping skull of the third when the Queen suddenly looked up at me.

 _Crap!_

She managed to get her hind legs under her and sprung with a powerful leap up onto the catwalk with me. The catwalk shook and groaned beneath her weight. Acid blood still oozed from her neck, dribbling onto the rails and causing them to melt. My arm was still twisted in the rope and I pushed off the railing as her tail thrust forward to skewer me. Dizzily I spun as the force of the jump sent me swinging and spinning. The rope bit into my skin and it tightened around my wrist so hard I felt the bones creek.

The swing lessoned and my eyes widened as I saw her strike. I let loose a bloodcurdling scream as the Queens barbed tail sliced along my ribcage. Fighting through the haze of pain I pulled the Browning and fired. The explosive round sent up a spray of acid blood as it connected with her chest, it coated the catwalk and I smiled at the bitch as she dropped. The screaming Queen fell and when she hit the stage it collapsed under her weight, throwing up a cloud of dust.

Absently I shoved the Browning back in its holster at the small of my back. The world began to swim and I shook my head trying to focus. My arm ached from being strung up like a puppet and I reached my free hand up to the rope hoping to be able to climb up to the rafters. The adrenaline dump help mask the pain and the bone aching weariness but I didn't have the strength to pull myself up.

The rope jerked and I hissed as it squeezed the bones in my wrist, threatening to break them. I glanced up and felt my heart heave in relief upon seeing the Predator in the rafters, pulling me up. Within seconds he was able to grab my forearm, relieving the pressure of the rope and hauling me up next to him on the foot wide metal girder. Breathing hard I leaned into his chest because I was pretty sure I would fall otherwise. One large hand dragged me closer as the other touched the wound at my side. I hissed at the touch and he pulled his hand up to examine the blood that slicked his fingers. My blood. Oh god how bad was it?

I couldn't tell nor did I have the chance as the Queens shrill cry drew our gazes down. Fingers shaking I tugged the grenade free from its strap. I pressed a hand to his chest and his head jerked to look back at me.

"It's a grenade," I said, holding it up to show him. He cocked his head. "You know it uh-" Using my free hand I curled it into a fist then shot my fingers out in an explosive gesture. "-makes a big bang."

He dipped his head in understanding and wrapped an arm around my waist causing me to wince, collecting me to his chest. I easily forgot it though as the Queen sprung out of the cloud of dust, her maw wide open. I pulled the pin and threw it down into those open jaws. The Predator didn't need any prompting, he simply ran. Hopping from girder to girder with effortless balance and stealth as he made his way down from the rafters.

The grenade went off, the heat of it caressing our backs as the Predator continued to move as if his feet had wings. The acrid scent of burning flesh made me nauseous and I glanced behind us just to be sure the Queen was finally dead.

 _Oh yeah. Definitely dead._

She must have closed her jaws when the bomb entered her throat because the explosion had been almost contained by the exoskeleton-like body. Almost. The entire left side of her sloping head had exploded outward. The acidic yellow blood, bone and brain matter still rained down around her corpse.

My body went limp in relief. The shock of it all was fading fast and the pain returned in full force. I cried out at the agony in my side. The Predators hold on me tightened and I dug my fingers into his chest.

"Please stop," I cried but he didn't stop. Why isn't he stopping?! Oh my god it hurts... it fucking hurts!

Shrill cries ripped through the air as several Xenomorphs converged on us and I understood why he hadn't stopped. The Queen, damaged as she'd been was still their matriarch and we'd killed her. We'd forcefully terminated the connect between the drones and their Queen and now her children wanted revenge. Dozens of them began crawling out of the woodwork, their collective rage burned along my skin as they drew closer and closer, gaining on us. The Predator was fast but there were just way too many. If he had his hands free he could fight and still possibly escape.

"Leave me," I whispered. Truthfully I didn't want to die but the thought of the Predator dying to save me made my blood run cold and my soul twist in agony. The realisation that I liked him caused my lips to twitch into an ironic smile.

The muscles in his arms jumped at my words and the low growl he emitted vibrated through every cell of my body.

"Hulij-bpe ooman," he rasped, the rumble of his voice in his chest oddly soothing to me. Even as dozens of angry Xeno's were on our tail all I could think about was how warm his skin was and how much I wished I could bathe in his scent.

 _Rain..._ I thought vaguely as the world narrowed to a pinprick around me.

* * *

 **Nracha-dte Halkrath's POV**

The female in Halkrath's arms suddenly stilled, making the hunter growl in frustration. Only the rampant fluttering of her heart beat against his own chest let him know she held onto life. The wound caused by the kiande amedha Queen was apparently worse than he'd assumed. The ooman females blood coated his chest and legs. His knowledge of ooman anatomy was almost non existent but he knew from previous hunts that this much blood loss could prove fatal. Not to mention the few oomans he'd hunted were all males with at least a hundred pounds on the fragile female in his arms.

"Pauk!" He snarled as the kiande amedha continued to peel away from the shadows. Even with the plasma cannon he had no hope of taking them all out while he carried the unconscious female in his ever tightening grip. Halkrath really did not want to think about the death of the female because not even he was sure how he would react.

Thrusting the thought aside he balanced the ooman in one arm so he could pull the collapsed combistick from his lower back. If they could just make it outside these walls the hunter knew he could lose the pack of kianda amenda behind him.

The sun, its light slipped through cracked walls and boarded up windows. Some of the kianda amenda might brave the light but most of them would not. He could barrel through a boarded window but he didn't want to accidentally bring more harm to the female and then there were the kianda amenda running on all sides, attempting to cut him off. The charge time for the cannon was steadily increasing from the constant use and eventually it would run empty.

Up ahead the light grew brighter and Halkraths keen eyes spotted a broken window with nothing blocking it. Snarling he fired the cannon two more times behind him, trying put some distance between them and the hord. Just when he thought he was in the clear a kiande amedha jumped in through the very window he'd been planning to use as an escape. Instantly Halkrath knew this one differed from the others. Drones did not get this big, yet it had no crown so it was not an adolescent Queen. Halkrath scented the air and spared a single moment of surprise when he smelled the pheromones indicating that the kiande amedha was male. This species was made up of only females. Or so he thought. The hunter shoved it aside because in the end regardless of the aliens sex it was in his way and the female ooman cradled to his chest was still losing blood. Her breaths steadily grew shallow, causing the hunter to become desperate. An emotion he's never suffered from before and wished like hell he never would again. The cannon charge was to slow, he extended the combistick and snarled menacingly at the unusual kiande amedha in his path.

Its sloping head swiveled towards him and it opened its maw but instead of shrieking it did something rather peculiar for an kiande amedha. It chuffed, scenting the air and directed its focus not at him but at the female in his arms. Its lips peeled back as it dipped its head and arched its spine, emitting a cry unlike anything the hunter has ever heard a kiande amedha make before. The alien charged, its tail flicking madly and its jaws open in menacing snarl...

* * *

 **Author's note:**

 **Hey I'm getting pretty good at these cliffhangers, neh? *smiles mischievously***

 **Hope everyone enjoyed this chapter! I was super nervous about this one so please review! I beg of you! I swear I'll keep feeding you story! *grovals on hands and knees***

 **Lol okay I'm sorry no pressure. You guys have been amazing and I love you all for it! Chapter title is Crazy In A Good Way. Love the hell out of the song.**

 **Q &A: will Call be returning?... possibly ;) **

**Q &A: does Zee come back... soon XD**

 **Hulij-bpe: Crazy**

 **Pauk: Fuck**

 **Kiande Amedha: Hard Meat**

 **P.S. thank you everyone for your support! Sorry for mistakes! Till next time, ciao lovies! Working on chapter six right now!**


	6. Chapter 6

**At the End of the World**

 **Nracha-dte Halkrath's POV**

The Yautja warrior leaned his weight against the window, scanning the terrain through the gaps in the broken and rotting boards. None of the kiande amedha had pursued them once they escaped out of the building, not even the strange male kiande amedha. The hunter recalled the males odd behavior and how instead of attacking him and the unconscious ooman in his arms the kiande amedha had gone after its own, giving Halkrath time to escape with the injured female. The kiande amedha leapt right over his head and into the fray, it's piercing shriek still ringing in the hunter ears.

Halkraths spine stiffened as he remember the subtle moment the creatures intent fell on the female. It's uncharacteristic behavior seemed to mirror his own strange need to protect the unconscious ooman. But that was insane, right? These aliens lived off only the most base instincts. The need to feed and the need to multiply.

 _So why did it want to protect her?_

He shook the ludicrous thought away.

Now that Halkrath had time to reflect, it was easy to assume that ooman scientists had a hand in the birth of the male kiande amedha. The unnatural creature probably suffered from some sort of brain malfunction like the Queen had. However the males superior strength and speed would have made the obsidian oddity great game. A trophy any Yautja warrior would be mighty pleased to claim. Halkrath made sure to document the specimen in those brief moments with his helmet. He would need to send the recording along with a report to the Elders.

In his periphery the female ooman stirred, snapping the hunter from his thoughts. She twisted, her dreams obviously the cause of her distress. The female kicked the thin sheet off, revealing her almost naked form to him. He growled softly as his eyes began to wonder over her tiny body. Despite her size the female was obviously capable of taking care of herself judging by the plethora of scars crisscrossing her skin. The hunter had felt a surge of pride upon discovering them when he'd stripped her down to nothing but modest coverings. Scars were trophies in themselves and Yautja enjoyed displaying them the same way they displayed the th'syra of their kills.

Halkrath found himself suddenly beside the sleeping female, the tip of his claw tracing a particular deep scar along her abdomen. She made a soft contented noise and rolled in his direction. The hunter jerked his hand back as if he'd been bitten. Unaware that he'd been purring to sooth the her.

Growling he spun on his heel and grabbed his helmet, sliding it back into place over his head before resuming his post at the window. The sun was high in the sky and he felt they were relatively safe from detection on the tenth floor of some type of ooman dwelling. From this vantage point he could watch the ooman Marines as they made their way in and around the building the female had blown a hole through the previous night. They'd spent hours pawing through debris and making sweeps of the surrounding area, no doubt searching for his ooman.

 _His..._ Halkrath shook his head. When would these foreign thoughts fade? He didn't like it. The warrior valued his control over everything else. It's what made him such a formidable opponent, yet he felt his control slipping the longer he stayed in the female's presence.

The communicator attached to his wrist chirped. He flipped it open, the onboard computer in his ship letting him know he'd received a message from his clan Leader. Halkrath sighed, with his rank and bloodline came a lot of freedom to do as he pleased but he knew his Leader wanted an update. He'd already killed and collected the Bad Blood but the body remained in cold storage on his ship. He would have to randevu with the clan ship and hand the body over.

Halkrath glanced at the female. Perhaps it was better this way. If he put several star systems between them perhaps he could regain control and clarity. Even if in a sense he was running away which didn't sit right with the Yautja warrior at all.

He stalked over to the nest of blankets and other various items he'd thrown together before laying her upon it and crouched beside her. The female slept the sleep of the dead for a day and a half, regaining her strength and recovering from her wounds. Soon she would wake and Halkrath knew he couldn't be here when she did. The hunter allowed himself one more moment with her, stretching out a hand and letting his fingers slip through the soft blonde locks of her hair.

He stood abruptly, the female would be safe here for a short time but he would not leave her defenseless. She'd earned his respect which meant according to Yautja law he could spare her life, not that he could even fathom killer her now. The warrior unclipped the combistick at his back and laid it next to the sleeping ooman. Upon leaving the room she slept in, the hunter closed the door and barricaded it from the outside, making sure no one would gain access to the room. The window would be the ooman females only form of escape and he was confident she could manage.

Once he made it several blocks away the Yautja warrior glanced back in the direction of the building and fought off the insufferable instinct to run to her. Growling he forced himself to move, knowing the long trek back to the ship was going to be mentally exhausting. The Yaujta species relied heavily on their instincts and followed them without question. It's what made his race such formidable hunters and for the first time in his existence Halkrath questioned those instincts and fought them. He simply could not accept the truth because the truth was ridiculous and unreasonable.

* * *

 **TK's POV**

Light, it pierced my eyes as I stirred. A sense of unease wrenched me from the depths of shadow filled dreams and thrust me back into awareness. The light made me squint and I furrowed my brow in irritation. It took several moments for the world to come into focus and when it did I felt utterly confused. Sunlight streamed through a boarded up window in a room that wasn't the least bit familiar.

Wincing I pulled myself up into a sitting position to get a better look around. Pain lanced through my side as if someone just drove a hot poker under my skin. Braced on an elbow, I examined the wound with my free hand, touching the healing flesh gingerly. The Queens tail hadn't pierced my ribcage thank the gods but it left a deep laceration stretching from just under my left breast and wrapping around over the left hip bone. The ribs beneath felt bruised, maybe even cracked judging by how much it hurt to breath but not broken. I'd gotten extremely lucky. The scar would be deep but not disfiguring thanks to the metal staples holding the skin so tightly together. The same method the Predator had used on my calf. Crude but sufficient.

I blinked, realizing that he'd once again saved my ass. Where did that leave us zero to two now? Or was it three? Nah at least two of those shouldn't count since he was the one who'd put me in danger in the first place.

My eyes crawled further down, silently marveling at the peacock array of colors from all the bruises. Pretty. _Not_!

The frown I bore deepened as it took my brain a moment to catch up to what my eyes were trying to convey and when it did a mad blush probably turned my face tomato red with embarrassment.

 _The mother fucker stripped me!_

To be fair I'd been only running around in a sports bra and cargos but it still left me feeling very exposed.

Angrily I grabbed at the twisted sheets between my bare legs and yelped as the movement tugged sharply at the wound along my ribs. Face red and anger so potent it probably fumed out of my ears like smoke I searched the room for said fucker. Almost immediately the anger faded, no one was here other than myself and the family of dust bunnies on the dirt caked floor. My eyes finally took in the whole room and I realized we- er well _I_ was in some old apartment or perhaps a hotel room.

My fingertips brushed something metallic and I glanced down at the familiar collapsed spear. The same unease that pulled me from sleep intensified as understanding dawned in my mind. The Predator was gone and instinctually I knew without a shadow of a doubt he was gone for real this time. I was alone, truly on my own again.

I closed my fingers around the spear in a white knuckled grip as tears plopped against the back of my closed fist. I blinked it surprise, unaware of just how much his absence shook me. Part of me knew I shouldn't feel so strongly about the absence of an alien who not so long ago had tried to kill me and yet the tears wouldn't stop falling.

For one small moment when we were alone together in the dark I felt something other than discontent. A spark. At the time I didn't understand why my heart had leapt at his touch but now I did and he... he was gone.

Angrily I swiped at my eyes. _This is stupid TK! You can't cry over something you didn't have in the first place!_

Swallowing I tossed the sheet aside, coughing as it sent up a plume of dust. I needed to find my clothes and figure out where the hell I was.

I glanced down at myself. At least he'd left me in my bra and panties but I wasn't about to go traipsing around in my underwear if I could help it. My eyes slid over the makeshift bed I'd been placed on, annoyed when my heart beat in a thrilled manner when I noticed the assortment of blankets, towels and pillows. Basically anything soft had been thrown together in a circular shape on the floor, resembling a nest. If he was just gonna up and leave why bother going through all the trouble of treating me and making sure I was comfortable?

 _Whatever._ I huffed angrily, extending the spear and using it as leverage to get up. The room was small, only big enough to hold a possible bed and dresser. The nest had taken up most of the floor space and I began toeing blankets and towels around because my stuff was nowhere else. On the opposite end I'd been sleeping I found my small backpack and other weapons under a sheet with pink unicorns printed on it, along with the tattered remains of my black cargos. The cotton panities were also done for and I kicked them off. Underwear unfortunately was almost as difficult to find as water. The black sports bra had seen better days but it still supported me just fine. So I tugged the remnants of the cargos on, cutting the pant legs off at the knee. In my bag I had one pair of jeans and two tanks. I slipped the red tank over my head, hissing at the exaggerated movements.

 _I miss my leather jacket..._

The jacket had been a gift and that's the only real reason I valued it but like everything else in my life it was short lived. I found my boots tucked in the corner of the room, pleased to find they at least had been spared. Doing something as monotonous as getting dressed and lacing up my boots made me feel a little more grounded.

 _Why did he leave-_

I shook my head viciously and straightened. Thinking about it now wouldn't help me in the least. I had to be sharp and ready for anything.

 _Nothing in your life has ever been easy TK._ I thought cynically. If fate gave me one moment of happiness I should've been prepared for the moment it jerked it away and left me reeling. Funny how that happiness came in the form of an alien who stalked and almost killed me. I didn't know his name or even his face yet in the end I still wanted him. Fate is such a cruel bitch sometimes.

Grunting I slipped the bags strap across my chest, clenching my teeth as it rubbed my wounds. It couldn't be helped though. My stomach gave a long growl and I sighed, rubbing it as if to sooth the rumbling beast. The food I had was precious and I would need to eat it sparingly.

With a stiff gate I made my way over to the door and slumped when it wouldn't open. I pressed a shoulder against it and shoved but the damn thing didn't even budge.

 _Nuts._

Turning I scanned the room, finding the boarded window to be the only other exit. My eyes widened and rolled in annoyance as I glanced down at the streets below. I had to be at least eight stories up, maybe even more. Unless I sprouted wings there was no way in hell I'd survive such a jump. Then again I've heard of miraculous stories where people fall from great heights and live but I seriously didn't feel like experimenting. Especially not when my keen eyes noticed a small hovering vessel carrying a group of four Marines turn the corner down the street. It was out of sight now, probably headed in the direction of the Stratus building. If the Marines were already here then I must have lost at least a day if not more. I wasn't positive how far away I was from the lab I'd torched but I seriously didn't wanna stick around and figure out how far they were willing to search for me.

The plywood boards were brittle, thanks to years and years of heat exposure, they broke and fell apart with relative ease. Wrapping my hand in a towel I cleared away the remaining shards of glass still stuck in the sill. I glanced out and around, finding the sun high in the sky and not much else.

 _How the fuck..._

Muttering darkly I looked up and found the ancient remains of a drain run off a few feet above the window which lined the roof. If I got to the roof I might be able to locate a fire escape or at least and entrance to the building. I tried very hard not to contemplate the stupidity of this plan as I collapsed the spear, tied it across my back and tentatively stepped up onto the windowsill. The air current was dead but should it decide to unexpectedly kick up I would be painting the streets below red. It didn't help that my brain drew up a cartoonish image of myself, complete with sound and everything, hitting the concrete with a sickening splat.

"Don't look down, don't look down, don't look down..." The chanting didn't help. My stomach still plummeted to my feet as I reached out for the drain and nearly slipped. Heart pounding, I took in several shaky breaths as I steeled my nerves for a second attempt. The metal drain was boiling hot to the touch thanks to the sun but I held onto it, testing it with a couple of jerks to make sure it would hold. It seemed sturdy enough, breath held I let go of the death grip on the windowsill and reached my other hand up to grab hold of the drain with both hands. Physically I am not a very strong person but I could've lifted a truck with the amount of adrenaline rushing through my veins.

"If I die I'm so coming back-" I grunted, arms straining as I began to pull myself up. "-as a fucking ghost-" My stomach flip flopped as my toes kicked off from the windowsill. "-and haunting that prick for leaving!"

The drain groaned as I managed to get my elbows and forearms up on it, hissing as the heated metal scalded my skin. The roof sloped upward, stripped bare of most of its shingles to reveal its skeletal architecture. Huffing and puffing, I heaved myself up a little more so I could grab one of the exposed beams. A sickening crack split the air, causing every hair to shoot up as if I'd just touched a live wire. The drain wavered and I swallowed, glancing to my left just in time to see the supports snapping one by one.

"Oh come on!" I shouted as the drain swung down in a fantastic arc and I held on for dear life, screaming like a banshee. Wood splintered and glass shattered as my back suddenly came into contact with a window. The force of the impact causing me to let go of the drain as its momentum sent me careen into a solid wall. Fireworks burst behind my eyelids as my skull smacked said wall.

I coughed, gingerly touching the back of my head. No blood, a very good sign. The room spun for a second and I fought back a dry heave as nausea roiled violently in my gut.

"I hate my life." Grumbling, I took in my surrounds, saw the window I'd flown through and grimaced. Hissing, I got to my feet after making sure I didn't pop a stitch. I didn't but the wound looked angry and swollen. Blowing a lock of blonde hair out my face I made my way over to the window. The drain swayed loosely from the building I'd just been tossed from. There was only about six feet separating the two buildings. If it had been any further away I probably would've slipped off and fell to my death. It was also rather amazing I'd hit the window instead of the brick wall.

 _Lucky me!_

Face pinched in pain I made my way for the door because there was no way in hell I was going out the window again. Nope no more theatrics for me. Why tempt fate? After all she seemed to find my pain amusing as of late.

By the time I made it back to the edge of the Wilds and spotted my truck the sun had begun its descent. I waited until the full cover of darkness before investigating further in case the Marines had taken interest in the old pickup. It sat about a mile out of the decaying city meaning I'd be completely exposed once I headed for it. I sat against the framework of an old gas station, waiting for the last vestiges of light to dwindle. The pumps were still intact and I even managed to fill a five gallon gas container just over half way before the lines were tapped dry. The station itself was mostly hollowed out with only two of its walls still standing upright.

With a tired sigh, I leaned forward and removed the dirty wrappings from around my left calf and discarded them. The wound needed to breath anyway. My fingers ghosted over the mental staples and I mentally cringed at the thought of yanking the suckers out once it healed more.

 _Hello bride of Frankenstein._ I chuckled softly. It really did look as though stitches were all that held me together.

The sun disappeared from sight and I slowly got to my feet, scanning the area for several minutes before breaking away from my hiding spot. Halfway to the truck my spine stiffened and the sweat beading along my skin turned to sharp pinpricks of ice. Swallowing thickly I made a half turn and stared at the Xenomorph only a few paces behind me.

Its tail lashed angrily from side to side as it made its way towards me. I dropped the gas container and thumbed the catch on the spear. It released with a soft _shink_ which drew a hiss from the approaching Xenomorph. It straightened to its full height, much bigger than any drone and I realized this was the male Xenomorph I'd encountered all those days ago. The same one created by my mother and Dr. Isles. The same one Dr. Isles thought could be bred with a human.

Specimen two hissed at me but had stopped once I'd drawn the spear. It leaned its sloping head forward, opened it mouth and chuffed the air, scenting me. My grip on the spear tightened and I took a tentative step backward. He saw the movement, his head tilting in an almost bird like gesture as he considered me.

"Z-zee?"

The moment I said it I wished I could take it back because he suddenly rushed me and I found myself sprawled on the sand with his weight pressing me down. Clawed hands held the spear tightly against my chest, trapping me beneath my own weapon. His lips peeled back, revealing those dangerous silvery teeth. He leaned in and I closed my eyes. I cringed, whimpering softly as his muzzle rubbed along my cheek, leaving a cool trail of saliva in its wake. He keened softly, the sound so achingly familiar it jarred a long forgotten memory loose. The scars across my abdomen tingled uncomfortably, a sensory memory of something painful and violent.

I cracked my eyes open, finding his muzzle still very close to my face.

"Zee," I tested the name again.

He leaned back, throwing his head up as he let out a long cry. It oddly reminded me of the way a wolf might bay at the moon. A lonely and haunting sound.

He tilted his head back down and expelled a breath in my face.

I licked my dry, cracked lips. "I named you Zee..." An out of place giggle escaped me as I recalled why. "I called you Zee because I didn't know how to say Xenomorph correctly and just started calling you Zee."

Tears rolled down the side of my cheeks. "You killed Dr. Isles. You saved my life. I remember now. When my nanny didn't return I left the closet and started wandering the streets. A group of Marines picked me up and returned me to Dr. Isles. Oh my god he... and then you..."

The sudden onslaught of memories made it hard to breath. Zee's sloping skull blurred as the tears filled my vision faster than I could blink them away. Zee had saved me from a fate worse than death. A Xenomorph had saved me from a human monster. If that wasn't irony I didn't know what was.

Zee keened softly again, his muzzle rubbing the side of my face, shifting his weight so that I was no longer being held down. I laughed and hesitantly reached up to lay my hand on the rounded surface just above those powerful jaws. He chuffed, nosing the scabbed over wound in my palm. This was just so bizarre.

Slowly I pulled myself into a sitting position and when he made no attempt to stop me I got to my feet. Sitting back on his hind quarters still brought him eye level with me and he watched with interest as I closed the spear and tucked it away. If he was gonna kill me he would've already done it.

"I don't think you'll fit in the front seat." I said, wiping my face free of tears and slobber. He cocked his head at me and gave a small huff. "That is unless you were planning on leaving me too."

Zee gave a soft snort as he stood to his full height and took two long strides passed me before inclining his head back in my direction. With a subtle shake of my head I grabbed the gas container and stepped up along side him. We looked at one another and without another word I headed for the truck and the Xenomorph followed beside me.

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **OMG I'm loving how everyone is diggin' my Xenomorph name! Zee! XD Hope everyone enjoyed this chapter! Sorry I know it was short and hopefully leaves you on the edge of your seat for the next update! Already working on it even as I type this note. XD**

 **Song for this chapter was 'At the End of the World'.**

 **Th'syra: skull**

 **P.S. I generally try to post every Thursday or Friday depending on the week. Thank you everyone for your constructive criticism, questions, kind words and all those who read it. ;)**

 **FYI: just a heads up there may be time jumps in the coming chapters.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Highway to Hell**

The firelight played strangely along Zee's exoskeleton-like body, aggressively deepening the shadows along his bony ridges and sharply sculpted physique. His sleek obsidian hide appeared to drink in the light, an effective camouflage for a creature who prefers the darkness. I could still clearly see him crouched across from me in our little camp but only because he wanted me to see him. Even after living side by side with him for more than a week having a Xenomorph this close often gave me chills. Zee seemed to sense this and kept his distance for the most part. The bond born between us as adolescents was still there but it seemed brittle as if one wrong move might snap it. We were careful around one another but I sensed his willingness to strengthen this tentative and odd companionship of ours.

Propped up on an elbow, I laid with nothing but the fire between us. Normally I slept in the cab of the truck while the Xeno stayed outside, usually disappearing for a good chunk of the night. I assumed while I slept or rather tried to sleep Zee was out hunting. Tonight was different though. I wanted to test this mutual respect between us so instead of sleeping in the stuffy cab I laid down the tarp and stretched out on it. Zee merely cocked his head at the action but soon after I laid down the Xenomorph edged his way closer until finally he crouched just three feet from me.

Being afraid of Xenomorphs is instinctual but I quelled the urge to get up and move to the pickup. In reality the truck couldn't keep out a determined Xeno so he'd been keeping his distance out of respect, building up the fragile trust. Such out of character behavior for this species but then again Zee of course wasn't normal. I'm no scientist but what my mother and Dr. Isles managed to create wasn't simply a male Xenomorph. Without a queen he had no one to sway his decisions. Zee had his own independent thoughts and will, something none of his other kin possessed.

Zee's tail flicked and my eyes caught the movement. He cocked his head at me, chuffing a couple of times. Xenomorphs don't really appear to have nasal passages but they seem to taste their surroundings the way some serpents can. I've had a lot of time to think on this and have been able to study a Xeno in a way no one else ever has. It's been speculated that Xeno's use a type of echo location to move around but I think there's much more to it than that. Xenomorphs are telepathic, communicating with their queen and other drones via the mind. This is merely speculation but after watching Zee I felt confident that these aliens mental prowess is much more... _powerful_ than scientists have yet to realize. Humans are truly foolish if they believe one day we will control this species.

The wound on my calf pinched as I shifted, the damn staples were more of a nuisance now. I hissed, the deep slash along my side hurt more than all of my wounds combined as I stiffly sat up. Face taught in a grimace, I probed the the claw marks along my calf and decided the staples could probably be removed. With blunt nails I pinched the first staple between my thumb and pointer finger and pulled.

"Bastard!" I growled, vocally cursing the Predator as the first staple came out. It fucking hurt worse than the claws that raked my leg! Of course I'd been high on adrenaline at the time it happened but still!

I tossed the little piece of metal into the fire. Blood covered my fingertips but a quick examination revealed it was just from extracting the staple. Good. Reopening the wound would've been a bitch and I didn't have a sewing kit.

A stream of warm air blew against the nape of my neck, stirring my long blonde hair and sending my hackles straight up. Every muscle tensed as I felt a breath caress along my neck again and my right hand instinctively clasped the collapsed spear at my side. Slowly I tilted my head up, Zee stood over me and exhaled a controlled breath. I hadn't even heard him move.

"Zee?"

His sloping head tilted down, a very bird-like movement. He chuffed and his head seemed to cock in the direction of my leg. I glanced back at my calf and immediately understood.

"I'm not hurt."

He cocked his head again then slowly moved around me on all-fours until he crouched in front of my legs. For a moment I watched him and when he made no attempt to come closer I forced myself to relax. I was highly aware of his close proximity but it didn't feel threatening. If anything it felt... watchful? Observant?

I released the spear but kept an eye on the big Xeno in my periphery as I hissed and growled while pulling the remaining staples out and tossing them into the fire.

"We should leave before the sun comes up." I said, softly. Talking out loud to the Xenomorph helped ease my mind and strangely enough I was certain he understood me. "Gotta figure out a way to find Call. Know where any small towns are?"

Zee tilted his head at me making me reconsider whether or not he understood me but then he rose up, stretched out his neck and began chuffing the air. After a moment he inclined his head at me, hissed and slowly lifted his head till it faced the same direction we'd been heading at random.

"Alright." Content with his response, I laid back down on the tarp after wiping the blood from my leg. Every cell in my body was on high alert and my instincts warned that putting myself in such a vulnerable position in front of a Xenomorph was beyond idiotic. I fought back the instinctual fear because my intuition had already separated Zee from the rest of his species. Zee saved my life and I would have to let go of my natural prejudice in order to strengthen our bond.

Zee swiveled his head towards me, reminiscent in the way someone arches a brow in curiosity.

"Let's catch a few hours of shut eye before heading out."

The Xenomorph continued to watch me as if I'd done something rather fascinating... or perhaps confusing. I rolled on my good side, tucking the spear close to me out of habit. My eyes remained on Zee as he huffed and turned his head away from me. It didn't take long for me to forget a Xenomorph sat right next to me as exhaustion tugged at my eyelids. I blinked a few times, wanting to watch his reactions but found it hard to stay focused. My eyes closed and opened, the Xeno still sat with his attention elsewhere. They closed again and when I managed to crack them open a second time I was barely aware that his attention had shifted back to me. A light sleep took hold but I was jostled awake when something poked at the wounds on my back. Blindly I reached a hand behind me and paused when my fingers came into contact with a smooth hard angled structure. It took me a minute but gradually I opened my eyes and turned my head, surprised but not afraid of the Xenomorph who laid curled against my back, his back to mine.

 _Bizarre..._ I smiled, oddly content and didn't fight the pull of blessed unconsciousness.

...

 _Warmth encircle me, a chest pressed to my back and I curled into it. A claw trailed playfully down my naked side and I shivered, skin tingling with excitement. Controlled breaths, puffed against the back on my neck raising goose flesh in its teasing wake. A large hand gripped my hip and I gasped, tensing as those claws dug almost painfully into the tender flesh. His length pressed against my lower back and I shuttered as he jerked me flush against him almost as if he were losing control. The heat of his cock nearly scalded my skin, the shock of it shooting tendrils of desire straight to my core._

 _He drew in a sharp breath and I blushed as I realized he scented my desire. A low growl of satisfaction rumbled in his chest and rippled across my over-stimulated skin. He began to purr and the vibrations alone almost sent me over the edge as the ache between my legs became almost painful._

 _I wanted to look at him. To see his face. To watch his reactions. I shifted and the hand on my hip tightened its hold causing me to whimper. His purr faltered at the sound momentarily before intensifying. The grip on my hip loosened and I turned slowly into him. My eyes traveled up the length of his heavily muscled and scared chest, up the column of his corded neck-_

...

A shrill cry ripped me ruthlessly from the dream, dumping me back into reality where I found Zee raised on his hind legs making ominous sounds. The spear was in my hands and I was on my feet between one heartbeat and the next. I thumbed the catch and released the full length of the spear.

"What's wrong Zee?" The answer seemed pretty clear once I got a good look at him. His stance suggested we were not alone out here in the middle of nowhere and whatever was out there wasn't stopping by for tea.

Zee gave a low hiss as his neck stretched and his attention remained intent on the darkness. The fire had nearly died out, leaving me at the mercy of whatever lie in wait. I wouldn't be able to see jack shit in the dark. The moonlight bounced off the sand, illuminating the landscape but if this was a Xenomorph attack then the meager light wouldn't be much help to me.

I backed up towards the truck intent on getting the fuck out of here but froze as deeper shadows blurred in the darkness. Zee jerked his head in my direction and with a menacing shriek launched himself over me in an impressive leap. I heard the smack of bodies colliding and the cries of another Xenomorph as they both hit the side of the truck. The hairs along my spine bristled in warning and I threw the spear up in front of me just as a tail collided with it sending me flying backwards. I landed in the middle of the fight between Zee and the other Xeno, barely managing to roll out from under their feet as the two shoved and snarled.

I found myself under the truck and had a moment of deja vu as I recalled this happening once before. Me hiding under the truck while Zee fought off another Xeno.

 _Not this time!_

This time I knew Zee and I were on the same side and I had to help him. I scurried out on the other side of the truck, got the passenger door open and flung myself inside as a Xenomorph slammed into the door at the same time I yanked it closed. Its tail smashed through the glass and I rolled onto the floor, covering my face as shards of glass rained over me. The Xeno shrieked and reached in after me, it grabbed the bottom of one of my boots and I kicked out with the other, connecting with its skull. It screamed in annoyance but didn't let go. For one terrifying second I thought it would yank me back out of the truck but suddenly it screamed again and abruptly let go. The truck rocked as bodies wrestled against it and I realized Zee must have intervened.

Glass bit into my palm as I got up from the floor and flipped the lights on. They didn't need the light to be able to see me but I sure as hell needed it to see them. To bad the brights didn't work on the old clunker though. Xeno's may not like the light but they'll tolerate it as long as there's prey to catch or a score to settle. I had a sinking feeling that this pack of Xeno's belonged to the dead queen.

"Shit," I bit out. Early in the evening I'd pulled the staples from my calf and drew blood. They must have tracked it right to our camp like sharks to chum. I should've known better. I should've known they wouldn't have given up so easily.

 _Stupid, stupid, stupid!_

Outside just beyond the headlights I saw several more blurs and swallowed hard. I had my spear, two explosive rounds, a knife and Zee but the scale seemed tipped in favor of the pack of Xeno's from where I sat. Zee could handle himself but I was a distraction. If he had to keep saving me then it left him open for attack.

 _Think TK! Think!_

The truck rocked again and I yelped, holding the spear awkwardly because it didn't really fit in the cab when fully extended. If I didn't get out of this truck it would get torn apart and we'd have no way out of the damn desert. Leaving the lights on, I peered out the widows and swore as I saw Zee fighting off four other Xeno's. Yeah he might be bigger but he was definitely outnumbered. I had to help counterbalance the odds somehow.

 _Gas can!_

I jumped out of the truck and climbed into the back.

 _Keep them busy just a little longer Zee-_

A Xenomorph jumped on the roof of the cab and I fell back on my butt. It hissed, showing me silver fangs as its tail poised to strike. Determined not to die tonight I scrambled back and it followed. I wanted the thing out of the truck so when my hand found the tailgate I reached over and let it drop. The Xenomorph sprung and I threw myself backwards, hitting the sand with the alien on top of me. I pressed the shaft of the spear into its open maw, shoving with all my might to keep those inner jaws out of range. My eyes widened as its tail shot out and I barely managed to wrench my face away in time. The alien suddenly went flying as a tail struck out and smacked it right in the dome.

Zee stood above me and shrieked at me. I got the message loud and clear. Move your ass!

Up in a flash, I jumped back into the bed of the truck and took a stunned second to be surprised at the three dead Xeno's laying beside the remnants of the fire. Apparently I'd been wrong about which party was outnumbered.

My head snapped in Zee's direction, the other Xeno's had figured out he was protecting me and were trying to get to the truck. His tail ripped through the head of one, tossed it aside then buried itself in the chest of another. The sounds these aliens made when fighting one another were absolutely terrifying. Nothing like when they simply engaged prey. Similar to the blood curdling sounds big cats made when tearing each other apart only much higher in pitch.

Two Xeno's were on top of Zee and a third leapt taking Zee in the chest and sending them sprawling. I wrenched the Browning free and fired without hesitation as I shot the one on top of Zee. Its face blew apart in an impressive spray of yellow blood and meat. Zee tossed it aside, looked in my direction for a brief second then went after the other two.

Crouching I untied the cords around the gas can, without a clue as to what I was going to do with it. A cry brought my head up and instinctively I released the spear, thrusting up and bracing myself. A Xenomorph impaled itself, shrieking and clawing at me as the spear sunk into its chest. Its yellow blood oozing down the shaft of the spear, coming dangerously close to my hands but the struggling Xeno made it difficult to move. The thought of the acidic blood eating away at my hands brought on a helpful boost of adrenaline. The alien snapped at me but its movements grew sluggish, dying from the critical wound. With a cry of my own I shoved forward and the alien fell back over the side of the truck. The scent of burning metal sent me into a panic but I blew out a breath as I found only a few drops had landed on the bed of the truck. Hopefully it didn't hit anything vital as it ate through the metal like hot water does to sugar but I didn't have time to check out the damage.

I snatched up the gas can and jumped over the side of the truck, feet sinking into the loose sand. The spear stuck out of the dead Xeno's chest and I retracted it then shook it free of the corrosive blood. Xeno bodies littered the ground in a near perfect circle around the pickup.

"Keep holding them off Zee!"

I heard a shrill cry and realized it was Zee's. The same cry that drew my attention back in the truck, warning me about the Xeno I'd killed. It was startling to learn that I could discern the difference between Zee and other Xenomorphs but rather cool once I thought about it. A handy talent for sure.

The body of a Xeno went sailing past me and an annoyed hiss came from Zee as I glanced at him. He ran past me and out of sight but I could hear the hissing and bone rattling sounds the aliens made as they fought. Slightly in awe of how Zee had managed to keep the majority of such a large pack off my back.

 _Right be amazed later TK when we're not up to our eyeballs in hacked off Xeno's!_

The gas cans cap spun off with a quick twist and I began dousing the dead aliens in gas while making a path around the truck. Xenomorphs hated fire. Whether it was the smell, the light or because they seemed to be so strangely flammable I didn't know for sure but it was an effective deterrent... most of the time anyway.

"Zee! Come to me!" I called out. Tarp in hand. I jumped back into the truck bed, set the spear within arms reach and pulled the Browning.

A second later the big Xeno jumped up beside me. "Trust me Zee!" I threw the tarp over him and fired at the gas can just as two Xenomorphs appeared from the darkness.

The explosion rocked the truck and I hit the deck, Zee struggled under the tarp with an angry cry.

"No don't look yet!"

Zee wasn't really bothered by our little campfire earlier but this was a tad bit bigger. I didn't want to hurt him in some weird way by mistake. The sudden heat from the blast rolled across my skin and I gasped at its intensity. Squinting I peeked over the truck and found a wall of flame roaring around us with several carcasses feeding the flames higher. The smell of burning Xeno meat stunk to high heaven but it seemed to be working. I could see three Xeno's standing just beyond the flames, they moved about angrily, unsure if they wanted to brave the flames. The fire wouldn't last forever and they probably knew that.

Zee shook himself free of the tarp with a shrill cry, tail lashing back and forth. Neck stretched out he shrieked at the remaining Xeno's beyond the fire. I grabbed the spear and released it.

"Not prey!" I shouted.

Zee inclined his head as if glancing down at me. I'd done something interesting again. He returned his attention to the remaining few of his kind and stood up on his hind legs in an aggressive posture and shrieked menacingly. Daring them to try.

There was only three of them left and they seemed to understand this. Zee killed at least six and I had killed two, even if they decided to keep pursuing us surely they understood they didn't stand a chance. Their sloping heads turned to one another then back at us and hissed in fierce dissatisfaction. Teeth bared Zee made a quick move forward as if he might go after them, the three Xeno's hissed again before disappearing hastily into the night.

Neither of us relaxed for several moment but eventually the big Xeno at my side lowered himself to all fours giving me the green light to breath. Expertly, I twirled the spear in my palm then collapsed it down and gave Zee a shit eating grin. "Saved your life."

He cocked his head and I felt the conveyed eye roll even though he had no eyes to speak of. Zee hissed, head moving in the direction of one dead body to the next before finally looking in my direction again with another hiss.

I blew out a breath, "Okay yeah you killed more than me but I did it with style."

The Xeno expelled a breath as if I tired him.

Chuckling I reached out with zero hesitation and traced his sloping dome. He inclined his head towards me with interest. The worries and unease I'd felt towards having Zee around had completely vanished.

"Thanks Zee."

The big Xenomorph shook off my hand, straightening and puffing out his chest in a very macho-male display. I snorted softly.

My eyes wandered back over the ring of fire, finding it wasn't so much a ring anymore. The gas on the sand had all been burned away, leaving only the carcassess still blazing.

"Zee." I clutched the pendant at the hollow of my throat. Running my thumb up and down its familiar ridges.

He tilted his head.

"Let's get the fuck out of here."

He snorted and I took that as an agreement.

...

 _ **(Time skip)**_

"You know the tooth fairy would really love Xenomorphs." I said cheekily, watching as Zee continued to bare those sharp silvery fangs at the blithering fool beneath him. Zee ignored me and continued his fearsome snarling upon the poor idiot who thought I was alone when he and his unfortunate friends jumped me.

"Oh god! Please let me go! Please get it off me- aah!" The man finished in a scream as Zee's inner jaw snapped at his face. My nose twitched as the sharp scent of urine assaulted the stale air, the scavenger had pissed himself.

"Please have mercy!" He wailed.

"Mercy?" I leaned down close to his face, watching his wide brown eyes dart to me then back to Zee. Sweat beaded his dirty-weather beaten face, rolling to collect in his matted greying hair and long scraggly beard. "Mercy? As that what you and your merry band of dimwits planned to show me?"

We both knew the answer to that and he whimpered. I eyed the three other dead scavengers on the floor. Zee had made relatively quick work of them. Though I never really was in danger, not from a couple scavengers anyway but the Xenomorph had taken them out before I even had the chance.

 _So freaking rude! Maybe I wanted to work out some of_ my _pent up rage!_

Coldly I met the man's terrified eyes then gave him my back and let the Xeno do as he pleased. The scavenger screamed but it was cut off by the unmistakable sound of crunching bone and squelching-sucking noises as Zee plunged his inner jaws into the man's skull. For a sliver of second I felt bad for the guy then remembered the lude gestures he and his pals made when they thought they'd cornered me.

I ignored the sounds of vigorous feeding behind me and paced the lobby of the old hotel. A week had passed since the attack in the desert and so far we'd come up empty handed on finding any populated areas. At least ones not infested with human scum or wild Xeno's. Strangely Zee seemed to know where to look when we needed crucial things such as gas. Either he knew the area well or his ability to taste the air was better than the sniffer on a bloodhound. Or perhaps maybe just maybe his telepathic abilities were beyond even what I suspected.

 _All of the above or none at all._

Truthfully I may never understand Zee's capabilities and that was probably a good thing. Zee was the Weyland-Yutani Company's idea of a wet dream. A powerful predator, stronger, faster, capable of free thought with the ability to possibly breed with a human. If they got ahold of him I had no doubt they would copy his genetic coding and make more like him. I couldn't let that happen.

After leaving the Wilds and being abandoned by the Predator -yes I know abandoned is a strong word to use for someone I knew only as a _Predator_ but it's how I felt. Anyway the decision to find Call had been an easy one but the only way to do that was to locate a populated area and see what I could dig up.

So between finding Call, a woman I knew literally nothing about and keeping Zee, a male Xenomorph whose genetic code spelled disaster for the remaining human populace a secret I was a busy, busy woman.

Further inspection of the lobby yielded nothing of interest but once I started investigating rooms I found the scavengers stash of goodies. Nothing awe inspiring or of monetary value but interesting none the less. I helped myself, seeing as though they wouldn't be needing this stuff anymore. Finding clothes that fit and didn't reek of human filth was a plus. I also found a box of Haldeman bars, these suckers were made for Marines, packed with enough protein and vitamins to keep a man thrice my size going strong all day after consuming only one. Cardboard might taste better but these little beauts would last a scrawny ass like me a long time. The real diamond in the rough came in an unexpected find.

Standing I made my way over to the small bathroom and tested the shower tap. No hot water but the cold still worked. It smelled metallic from being in the pipes for so long and quite frankly it was rather amazing to find running water at all. I let it run for a few minutes, until the water ran clear and didn't smell so much like a tin can. I set the spear within reach, stripped down and shivered as the cool water rinsed my skin. There wasn't a shower curtain but who gave a shit if the floor got wet.

I sighed blissfully at the feeling of being clean again. After a quick rinse I grabbed the canister I'd left on the edge of the tub. 'Nix the Hair Like Magic' was scrawled across it in bright red cursive letters. The girlie side of me squealed with delight because I'm pretty sure my legs had their own ecosystem at this point and this stuff was strong enough to make a Yeti go bald. It even guaranteed smoothness for up to six months with a big-fat warning label slapped on underneath it. I didn't need a warning label to tell me that this stuff was probably toxic as all hell. Anything that stunts hair growth that long would definitely kill you if swallowed.

I slathered it on and cursed as I felt the _magic_ working. Correction _burning._ On more than just my legs too. _Ouch!_ Men have it so fucking easy!

After the count of sixty, I rinsed off and breathed in a sigh of relief as the burning sensation faded. Awareness tickled the back of my neck and I glanced behind me out of habit. Zee stood in the doorway, head cocked with interest. I was getting better at sensing his approach. Although if the Xenomorph had wanted to catch me unawares he could've done so.

 _"A hybrid, Dr. Cherish! A human hybrid-"_

 _"She's my daughter-"_

 _"I tried other candidates... He killed them..."_

 _"He will kill her too Dr. Isles! Once he loses interest he will kill her! These creatures are not dogs! They are not pets! You can not treat them as such and expect them to obey..."_

Bits and pieces of my mother's final warning flooded back as Zee and I stared at one another. The Xenomorph standing in the door watched me, seeming to understand what I was suddenly thinking. _Not a dog._ But I'd fallen into the trap of thinking that way.

He opened his maw and chuffed the air and all at once I became highly aware of my nakedness. The sudden blush of modesty made it blaringly clear -to me anyway- that I'd made a mistake. Zee wasn't like his alien kin, he could think for himself and he was male.

He took a step into the tiny bathroom and I moved backward until my butt came into contact with the cool tile. My heart hammered in my chest and I didn't want to acknowledge why. Zee was my friend, I trusted him but I also forget one major fact. Zee wasn't human. He didn't think like a human. Ridiculously intelligent but an animal none the less. A creature driven by instinct... but then again couldn't the same thing be said about the Predator? Yet I wanted him.

The large Xeno slinked into the bathroom, filling the small space. He leaned under the spray and the water took on a pink hue as it rinsed the scavengers blood from his maw.

My eyes flicked to the spear on the counter, Zee's sloping head followed my line of sight and spotted the weapon. He exhaled, not a hiss but it slid through his teeth in a way that made me think he wasn't happy. His head slipped out from under the spray and turned towards the collapsed weapon the Predator had left me. He chuffed, scenting the object and abruptly swung his head back in my direction with low irritated shriek. I pressed myself back against the wall and Zee snorted then exited the bathroom so fast my eyes had trouble focusing on the blur of movement.

Once he was gone I exhaled the breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding. Quickly I turned the tap off, got out, dried and dressed in record timing. All the while my brain buzzing and attempting to piece together some semblance of understanding. One thing was clear, Zee understood I'd rejected him. Perhaps he'd merely been curious in the first place but he'd thought about it and the proof of that had hung proudly between his hind legs.

I blushed and tried not to think about the fact that Zee, a Xenomorph had wanted to fuck me just now. This was all Dr. Isles and my mother's fault. Zee was the first male of his kind, he would have to figure out what _he_ wanted versus what his other sloping head wanted.

 _Still..._

Zee had done something surprising, he'd ignored his instincts. A very human quality that proved he wasn't a mindless animal. He was driven by instincts but they did not control him.

Coming to this understanding helped calm my racing heart. Zee wouldn't hurt me. Quickly I laced up my boots, grabbed my bag and headed back down stairs. I found Zee in the lobby, laying on top of the huge marble check in counter. His tail twitched as I approached but he made no other move to acknowledge my presence.

I stopped next to his head and followed the direction it faced. Outside the broken glass doors I found the sun stretching arms of light across the desert as it rose. The light didn't seem to bother Zee like it did other Xeno's but when we traveled during daylight hours he still laid beneath the tarp in the back of the truck.

Tentatively I placed my hand on his sloping skull, he stiffened but otherwise remain motionless as I traced my fingers over the smooth black skin.

"Don't make me start singing." I said with a huff of fake irritation. Attempting to lighten the mood. We both knew I couldn't carry a tune worth a damn.

The big Xeno huffed but still made no move to get up.

"Highway to hell-" I twirled away from him as I started belting out the song. "-I'm on the highway to hell!"

Zee sat up, inclined his head at me and hissed darkly.

"No stop signs, speed limit-" I continued to sing, dancing my way towards the door. "Come on Zee! Sing it with me!"

The Xenomorph stretched and managed an air of indifference as he hopped down from the counter. He lopped up beside me and gave me a warning hiss. I chuckled. "Fine. So which way to the nearest inhabited area? Those guys couldn't survive in this dead spot without a sustainable source of goods and the Wilds are too far on foot."

Upon exiting the building Zee stood up on his hind legs and began scenting the air. After a moment he rolled back on his haunches and inclined his head in the direction of the rising sun. I shook my head in awe of this creature. Never a dull moment with Zee, the Xenomorph would continue to shock me at every turn. In the last two weeks a theory began to take root and grow in my mind and every day I spent with Zee only strengthened this terrifying yet oddly exciting notion.

 _Zee is still evolving..._

* * *

 **A/N:** **Reviews please! I'm dying here. XD** **So this chapter's a bit of a surprise. I wrote something completely different but decided that because everyone wanted a bit more of Zee I should write a little bit about TK and Zee without other characters. Only a little time jump in this chapter which was a little more than two weeks if you didn't catch it or forgot. Next chapter the time jump will be a bit bigger. This is the first story I've written in about three years and writing a Yautja/human pairing is a challenge which is why I started writing it in the first place. So it's an exciting surprise to see how many people are reading it. Future chapters of this story will hold spoilers for other stories I'm working on.**

 **Q/A: will Halkrath return?... hmmm well I thinks that's a given ;)**

 **Q/A: Does Zee have a sense of self awareness? I think I answered that with this chapter ;)**

 **Rambles happily: Yes I am a fan of movies ranging from the late seventies to early nineties but I'm also a fan of a lot of the newer stuff too. I remember watching Alien when I was seven. It scared the crap out of me but I loved it and secretly rooted for the Alien.**

 **P.S. Thank you everyone! As I'm sure you're all well aware I read every review/critique/question. I appreciate every single one of them. If I miss any questions don't fret it means it'll probably be answered in another chapter.**

 **FYI: I stink at romance which is why I really wanted to challenge myself by bringing two species together that would probably never happen outside these fanfics. If you've read any of the original stories or seen the movies you know what I'm talking about. Also I wanted to set myself apart from some of the other yautja fanfics which are wildly erotic. Nothing wrong with that at all but not my style of writing. Fun to read though. Wow I think I talk too much at the end of these chapters. I'll try to cut back. Till next time lovies!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disconnected**

"How about the truck?"

 _How about your face?!_

"No," I said firmly, brow ticking in annoyance. If he kept trying to bargain for the truck I might just let him have it but I highly doubted he'd like the surprise hidden beneath the tarp in the back.

"Explosive rounds are hard to come by girlie and unless you're willing to blow me-" he smiled salaciously, showing off his yellow rotting teeth "- your truck is the only thing worth the trade."

My lip curled as I eyed the pig of man standing in front of me. His meaty forearm mopped the sweat from his balding head as he continued to glower down at me with one good eye. The other socket was empty and crudely sewn shut. The truck looked as though it went to hell and back but it still ran well and if you give up your mode of transportation you might as well let a Cutter take your legs. I'd be trapped. Forced to live in one spot. Screw taking your legs, let the Cutter take your organs because you're as good as dead if you stay in one spot to long. The people settled here were living on borrowed time. They had a good defense but Xenomorphs are relentless hunters. I've seen one too many settlements get annihilated by the aliens and all of them had towers with flamethrowers. If the food source is great the predators will come. And this hub was a buffet. The best strategy is to keep moving or get off the damn planet.

 _Maybe I should just let him peek beneath the tarp!_

"Blow it out you're ass." Briskly I snatched up the spare arm guards made from a Xeno's steely hide. They were my own design and worked great. The pigman wouldn't know a bargain unless it was slathered in ketchup.

He shrugged his massive shoulders unfazed and returned to setting out the rest of his product, including a ten count box of explosive rounds on his plastic table. Growling under my breath I hopped back into the heavily scarred truck, forcing the bent to hell driver side door shut. Slowly I drove through the packed market, careful not to hit any vendors or people as they walked.

It urked me that the pigman was in a sense right. We were on the border between Nevada and Arizona in one of the few major hubs and there was a substantial Marine presence here. People felt safer with the Marines patrolling their city. So unless I had money, precious metals or other hard to come by materials no one would do business with me.

"Well this was a bust." Frankly I was glad to be on my way out. The Marines made me twitchy. I'd come back late at night when every soul was safely tucked underground. I hated the thought of stealing but desperate times and all that. Besides I was gonna need something other than a spear, an empty Browning and an empty .45 to rescue Call. Not that I'd gleaned any new information on her whereabouts anyway.

For the past five weeks Zee and I have wandered from place to place in search of information. Call had risked her freedom and quite possibly her life to help me. I owed it to her to at least try and return the favor. Helping someone gave me a purpose, a reason to keep moving when all I wanted to do was crack under the pressure. Saddly it was not the truth of my mother's death twisting my soul into knots. I'd gotten over her death a long time ago. Finding out she was murdered didn't change anything other than my perspective. No my heart ached with the loss of a being I still had no name for.

Scowling, I eased up the death grip I had on the steering wheel and tried not to dwell on things that could've been and never will be. My eyes scanned the stalls, memorizing things I might need. The vendors all had decent quality safes beneath them but nothing a determined Xeno couldn't break into. It was easier locking their goods up outside rather than hauling everything back into the burrows at night. Because let's face it no one's really stupid enough to wander around outside at night. Oh wait I guess I am but hey I've got backup and he makes other Xenomorphs appear tame by comparison.

The truck slid forward at a snail's pace as people went about their business. Every two seconds I had to break because some dumbass wasn't paying attention. Zee hissed in annoyance from the back and I tapped on the dividing window behind my head. "Easy Zee we're almost out of here."

Hell the idiots walking so carelessly had more to fear from me than the pissed off Xeno in the back. My temperament might have taken a swan dive after the absence of the Predator really sunk in. It urked me to no end how he simply vanished and it pissed me off even more that I couldn't seem to let it go. Even now my thoughts inevitably returned to thinking about the bastard. Everything my dreams so vividly recalled to memory hacked me the hell off! The way my skin soaked up his heat. The feel of his corded muscles bunching beneath my fingertips. Hell even his brisk mannerisms and the freaking purring! Worst of all the scent of his skin. I'd barely caught it yet the memory caused me to ache in _-oh-my-god-person!_

I stomped on the brakes as a woman ran straight at the pickup. Her palms smacked the metal of the hood as the truck came to an abrupt stop which of course garnered more than a few curious glances in our direction. Not good. I had half a mind to get out and kill the crazy woman myself. If she wanted to die so badly then why run in front of a vehicle only moving at five miles an hour?

The sound of Zee's nails raking the truck bed stole my attention from the woman for a moment as I glanced through the rear window. The tarp moved and I felt my blood freeze. If he popped out all hell would break loose.

"No Zee! No!" I whispered fiercely. The tarp stilled but not before I heard the annoyed huff. "Patience my friend. Patience."

I turned back and watched in annoyance as the woman stared back at me from over the hood.

"TK!"

The hair raised along my arms in alarm because the crazy woman who'd thrown herself at my truck very clearly just said my name. She made her way over to the passenger side door as I took in her face. Early forties possibly late fifties, her brown hair was shot through with white and bounced in a long heavy braid against her chest. The faded yellow and blue moomoo washed out her aggressively lite skin tone that looked paper thin as if it might rip if merely touched. It wasn't until I met her eyes through the passenger window that recognition dawned.

"Claire?"

The woman's ice blue orbs lit up with relief. She darted a quick look behind her then said, "Let me in. I've got to talk to you."

Brows raised I leaned over and unlocked the door. She opened it, slid in then slammed the door and locked it. "Drive," she said briskly. "Get out of town right now. There's too many eyes here looking for you."

I didn't question her or even hesitate as I put the truck back in drive and started moving towards the edge of the small hub. Claire was a close friend of April's and one of the villagers whose home had been ravaged by marauders and then Xenomorphs in the span of a couple days. I'd saved April's granddaughter from the marauders and helped kill the pack of Xeno's massacring the small village. They'd given me shelter and place to stay for a short time. Most of the villagers had been too suspicious of me and kept their distance but Claire was one of the few who readily accepted me. The fact that she was here worried me deeply because it was obvious that something was very wrong.

"What's going on Claire? Where's Katie and April?"

She shook her head, anger tightening her features. "The Marines took them away."

A heavy weight settled on my chest because I knew the answer even as I asked the question. "Why?"

Those ice blue orbs turned on me, I saw anger there but thankfully it wasn't directed at me. "Because they figured out _who_ thwarted the Xenomorph attack on our little village."

"When?"

"About eight days after you disappeared into the Wilds. You certainly caused an uproar within the Company because after the Marines helped us move they came back with a couple clowns in suits who had all sorts of questions about you."

"Damn. I'm sorry Claire. I should've left the village immediately after the Xeno's were dead."

She dismissed the apology with a wave of her hand. "Personally TK I don't give a ripe shit about whatever you've done to get the Company's panties in a twist. All I care about is April and Katie. April is loyal and wouldn't give them any information about you. However not all the villagers are as loyal and driven by greed gave you up in a heartbeat when offered Cr. 5000."

"5000 credits?!" I repeated in disbelief. Hell I'd probably sell myself out for that kinda cash. Claire nodded, brow drawn down in deep thought. "Shit. So what happened to the rest of the villagers?"

"The disloyalty tore our small community apart. Many left for the colony ships but a few of us made our way here."

"Do you know where they took Katie and April?"

She shook her head. "I wasn't able to track their movements because we were forced to go underground when the sun set. But somewhere in this desert, there is a Company compound of some kind... not sure what it's used for though. I hear a lot of rumors. People go missing from this place all the time and I don't think they're getting picked off by aliens."

"You think they're in that Compound?"

She nodded, her face falling into lines of regret, bottom lip trembling. "I couldn't go after them. I tried rallying help from the few villagers who remained loyal to April but none of them were willing to go against the Company."

I placed my hand in hers and squeezed it until she looked back at me. "It's me Claire. I'm the one they want."

 _And Zee,_ I added silently.

"They're using them as bait."

She nodded in agreement because there was no other reason to keep them in custody. Which meant they were probably kept in the nearest location where I was last seen. The Company hoped that like April I would be loyal to a fault and come after them. Well for once they were right about something.

We finally cleared the throngs of vendors and people. I took us about a mile out of the hub before stopping the truck and turning it off.

"You're going after them." It wasn't a question and she gave me a look of a woman hardened by years of war.

"Damn straight."

 _Sorry Call._

"I'm going with you."

I snorted rudely and eyed her moomoo. "No offense Claire but unless you've got some nukes beneath your dress I don't think-"

She pulled a Desert Eagle from beneath the folds of fabric. A freaking Desert Eagle DM! The DM stood for Dead Mark, a name this weapon so rightfully deserved. A devilish smile curved her lips up as she took in my stunned expression. "TK I may be old and may not have fought the same battles as you but I've survived the same way you have with sheer determination and a bad attitude."

I chuckled, remembering why I had loved this woman. She and April were exactly alike. "What's it carry?"

"Currently its holding Splat rounds."

I arched a brow in appreciation. Splat rounds are military grade and illegal for civilians to own. Inspired by the corrosive blood of a Xeno, the paintball sized rounds could eat through almost anything and made the same sound when they connected with their target. Splat!

My eyes caught the subtle tremor in her hands as she tried to keep the heavy gun raised. Sighing I reached out and placed my hand over the large barrel and lowered it to her lap. "I have no doubt you can hold your own Claire but I would never forgive myself if something happened to you-"

"I'm not an invalid!" She snapped.

I schooled my features. This woman didn't want pity nor did she deserve it. She was a warrior in her own right and had done a damn fine job of keeping herself and those she loves safe from harm in a world determined to rip itself apart.

"No you're not," I said seriously. "But I've got my own backup. All I need is some supplies and to find out for sure where Katie and April are being held."

Ferreting out their location probably wouldn't be all that difficult. Especially if the Company _wanted_ me to find them. I'm sure one look at my obsidian friend would make a Marine sing like a canary.

Claire's brows drew down in confusion. "I can help with the supplies but who's your backup? No offense but you've been lone wolfing it a long time and don't exactly give off sa- friendly vibes."

 _Was she about to say sane?_

An impish smile quirked my lips up. "Would you like to meet him?"

One brow arched up and a smile curved her lips as she immediately got the wrong impression. "So April's nagging about finding a man worked, huh?"

The Predator popped into my head and I mentally cursed, shoving the image back down into a dark pit where it belonged.

I opened the door and stepped out of the truck. "Not really," I said cheekily. "By the way holster your weapon."

In my periphery I saw her give me a questioning look but she thankfully holstered the heavy gun in a makeshift holster on her calf. Weird place for a gun that size but then again strapping it to your thigh under a moomoo would make it almost impossible to draw. I made my way around to the back of the truck and Claire met me at the rear.

"Claire," I met hers eyes seriously, "don't scream."

The sun was still out so I only lifted the edge of the tarp. At first Claire frowned unsure what she was looking at than Zee shifted and gave a low hiss.

Claire's icy blues flew wide, "Holy Moses!"

* * *

 **Nracha-dte Halkrath's**

After docking his ship inside the clan ship's hangar, Halkrath made his way towards the living area to his personal quarters. The ire emanating from him did not go unnoticed as many moved to give him a wide berth. The hunter felt restless and unsettled, even after returning from a successful chiva of three newly blooded warriors. Given how much time had passed since his return from the backwater planet he should've been over this... whatever _this_ thing was. Not even to himself dare he utter the words.

Halkrath considered returning to Earth and killing the female, thinking that maybe these strange thoughts would die with her. Yet when the scenario played out in his mind it sent the warrior into a dangerous state of rage. He'd been in the clan ships kehrite when he first considered this, training with a group of youngbloods. The sudden surge of anger had been almost overwhelming, clouding his judgement and nearly costing one of the youngbloods his life when Halkrath uncharacteristically went after him for a trivial slip of the tongue.

Halkrath closed his eyes at the memory. Just how far gone was he?

The door to his quarters slid open with a soft _whoosh_ but he hadn't taken more than two steps inside when he received a summons with the clan leader. The warrior growled softly but did as he was ordered.

The warrior soon found himself on the observation deck, Ruu'so his clan leader stood with his back to the him, hands clasped behind him as if in deep contemplation. Halkrath approached silently, not wishing to intrude upon his leader's thoughts. It wasn't until they both stood abreast, staring out into the endless expanse of stars that the clan leader spoke.

"What happened on that planet Nracha-dte Halkrath?"

Halkrath stiffened at the quiet command in his leader's voice. Apparently the warrior had been acting more out of character than he originally thought if he'd managed to garner the leader's attention.

"Are you asking as my leader or as my sire?" Halkrath hedged. If Ruu'so was asking as his leader then the warrior would have no choice but to come completely clean but if he was asking as his sire then Halkrath might be able to skirt some of the truth.

Ruu'so turned to Halkrath with a furrowed brow ridge and guarded curiosity. "Both."

 _C'jit._

Squaring his shoulders the warrior thought about his words carefully before speaking but no matter how hard he tried it still sounded crazy. So he summed it up in two words and spat them like acid. "Mate bond."

His sire cocked his head in confusion, brow ridge furrowing down even more, hooding his yellow orbs. "Mate bond?"

Halkrath gave a single sharp nod of confirmation.

Ruu'so faced him fully now, yellow eyes assessing him. "A Yautja mate bond is a rare thing Halkrath but at least it does explain your uncharacteristic behavior if you are refusing it. Which female has gotten a warrior with your caliber of control to unravel so effortlessly?"

The corded muscles along Halkraths arms and shoulders flexed tightly as he fisted his hands, claws digging into his palms. "It was not one of our females."

The leader arched a brow at him. Finding Halkraths dodginess odd and irritating. "Oh? From a different clan then?"

Halkrath's mandibles flared slightly in annoyance. "No. She's..." His voice lowered dangerously at the shame he felt. "She's an _ooman_."

The leader stared hard at Halkrath, repeating the words carefully. "An _ooman_?"

Again Halkrath merely nodded.

"Halkrath?"

The warrior blinked back at his leader, unaware that his gaze had moved towards the stars outside as if he could see the little blue planet.

"Are you certain of this? A mate bond in itself is a rare thing but a mate bond outside our own species is almost unheard of."

The warrior said nothing at first but his eyes narrowed as he realized what his leader just said. "Almost?"

Ruu'so sighed and Halkrath knew the Yautja standing before him now spoke as his sire not as his leader. "Halkrath there have been others. Though I personally only know of two."

"And what did they do when they realized their mates were oomans?"

His sire turned back towards the view, eyes hard as he recalled the stories. "One of them, a newly blooded warrior met his life mate while on his chiva. He became so utterly overwhelmed with shame that he killed her in a fit of rage..."

Halkrath stiffened, listening carefully as his sire continued.

"After the death of his mate he went mad, forcing his brethren to kill him a few weeks later when he went after the females of his clan with intent to do unspeakable acts."

Halkrath swallowed hard because if he didn't know any better he'd swear he was losing his own grip on reality. "And the other?"

His sire turned to him then. "Ra'zele. He works as an arbitrator for his clan along with his ooman mate."

"So he accepted an ooman as a mate?"

Ruu'so nodded. "I myself spoke with Ra'zele once. I asked him about the choice he made and whether or not he regretted it..." Ruu'so tilted his head, meeting Halkraths eyes. "Perhaps you should speak with him yourself and draw your own conclusion."

Halkrath didn't hesitate and that in itself bothered him. "Where can I find Ra'zele?"

"I'll send you the coordinates," Ruu'so stepped in front of Halkrath, his face pinched in utter seriousness. "Halkrath if you choose to take an ooman as a life mate you must understand you won't be welcome back on our home world. And returning to the clan ship with an ooman is not wise."

Halkrath considered his sires words carefully. Taking an ooman as a mate meant spending his life outside the clan, forever shunned by his own kin. None the less hearing about Ra'zele and his mate intrigued the warrior.

Halkrath bowed his head, honoring and thanking his leader before turning on his heel to leave.

"You aim to seek council with Ra'zele then?" Ruu'so called after him, well aware of what his son wanted. Ruu'so already knew which path Halkrath would take even before Halkrath himself understood it.

Halkrath nodded with a grunt as he continued to the exit, missing the disapproval that crossed his sires face. Ruu'so wondered if perhaps he should intervene. Halkrath had the potential to replace him as the leader of their clan some day but that potential would be squandered if he took an ooman as a mate.

Ruu'so titled his head in thought. The offspring he sired had all become the most honorable and fiercest of warriors. Yautja do not practice the killing of females but there were always exceptions. If the this pesky ooman female were to die surely a warrior who came from his lineage would not fall prey to madness...

* * *

 **Tk's POV**

The blonde Marine barely managed to scream in fear as Zee thrust his tail through the man's chest.

"No! Damn it Zee-"

The Xenomorph cocked his head at me as I gestured angrily at the dead man skewered on his tail.

"-you weren't suppose to kill him! You were just to _intimidate_ him!"

Zee huffed and tossed the skewered dead man from his tail, sending the body flying a few yards before it got lost in the sand. The sun had set only minutes before, taking both its light and heat with it.

Grinding my teeth, I ran a hand through my hair tempted to rip it out by the roots. "Great Zee, just great. Hopefully there's still a few Marines milling about otherwise we're screwed!"

Zee hissed softly as he jumped back into the bed of the truck and laid down. Rolling my eyes heaven ward I prayed silently to anyone who might be listening because good-god I so did not have the patience for this shit! People think two year olds throwing tantrums are bad? Well they've never seen a Xeno throw a bloody tantrum then! All he had to do was be his big-bad-scary-self while I did the hard part of actually luring a hormonally charged Marine out here! That blonde fucker had his paws all over me by the time I got him back to the truck and instead of just intimidating the guy the petulant Xeno shish kabobs him! We were never gonna figure out where April and Katie were being held at this rate.

Taking a breath I faced Zee giving him my best death stare. He cocked his head then yawned and I blew out the breath I held and roll of my eyes. How is it that the males involved in my life always managed to make me feel about as terrifying as a kitten swatting a damn butterfly?! I'm a fucking badass damn it! My poor non-existent ego...

"Look Zee let's try this again okay. I'll lure a Marine here and you DO NOT kill him but terrify the crap out of him until he spills his guts on any information pertaining to Katie and April, capeesh?"

He hissed, lashing his tail sharply through the air.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Once we get what we need you can literally spill his guts. Agreed?"

He made a pleased sound in the back of his throat, satisfied that he'd get to kill again. After all Zee was still a Xenomorph and enjoyed the kill. Not necessarily killing for killing's sake but he liked Marines about as much as I did. I was just glad it wasn't me he was aiming that deadly tail at.

For weeks we traveled together and instead of feeling afraid of the obsidian alien -like a sane person- I found myself to be quite content in his company. I had no misgivings about what he was but I also understood that unlike other Xenomorphs, Zee could think for himself. We'd formed a bond all those years ago and even after being separated for so long the bond had still held. And it grew stronger every day. As odd as the comparison might sound I found the bond between us to be familial which had definitely not been Dr. Isles intention. A Xenomorph for a brother. Try introducing a potential boyfriend to him and watch the mayhem unfold.

Zee cocked his sloping head towards me and chuffed. I smiled realizing I'd been standing there with a far away look.

"Alright so let's try this again, neh?"

The Xeno stretched out and somehow conveyed boredom without needing eyes to do so. His mannerisms were so different from other Xeno's I often forget what he truly is. My mother and Dr. Isles set out to create a male Xeno simply as a means for breeding so humans would no longer need to be sacrificed as hosts but Zee was so much more than that. For one he understood me and patiently stood by me like a loyal companion and not a creature who only acted upon his most basic needs.

Lost once again in my musings I barely noticed Zee slink down from the truck bed. It wasn't till he stood next to me and hissed that I took notice of his defensive stance beside me.

Immediately I was on high alert and I turned with spear at the ready in my hands, searching the shadow draped landscape. "What is it Zee?"

Zee stood up on his hind legs and stretched out his neck as he scented the air. When he stood like this it always gave me pause, because other than a queen most Xeno's had a hard time moving about on their hind legs but Zee had no qualms doing so. Standing on two legs also gave him an extra foot or more in height, making him much taller than most human males.

Zee hissed, swiveling his head and casting a look down at me. Brows furrowing I was confused at what he was trying to tell me but quickly understood as an unfamiliar voice traveled to my ears.

"Yo Alex?! You out here man? We've gotta get underground." The distinctly male voice sounded several yards away. "Answer me Marine!"

I smiled. Apparently I wouldn't need to go back to the hub to find a new target after all. Quickly I gave the male Xeno a pleading look, "Don't get carried away this time, _please_!"

Zee lowered himself back on all fours and huffed at me as I made my way into the dark. I couldn't see him but I knew Zee followed close behind. We'd have to sneak up on the Marine and silence him quickly otherwise he'd draw unwanted attention. Once we got him to the truck we could drive further out and pry our answers out of him without fear of being overheard. Truthfully I wasn't fond of torture and hoped the guy would simply tell us what we needed to know. I had no love for Marines, especially after they turned me over to Dr. Whackjob when I was twelve but I couldn't hold them all accountable for the sins of a few. If he gave us what we wanted I would make sure Zee killed him quickly.

The Xenomorph brushed passed me, moving ahead so he could circle around. If the Marine was focused on me, he wouldn't see the real predator sneaking up on him. Not that he would've seen him anyway. Zee's obsidian exoskeleton allowed him to bleed into the darkness and he made no sound as he moved swiftly across the sand.

The hub was still partially lit up and I could just make out a figure coming in my direction. As I approached I tugged the hairband out, freeing the blonde curls and encouraging them to fall over chest. The black cargo shorts I wore road low on my hips but I shimmied it down just a tad bit further allowing the skin along my abdomen peek out. Of course this put the scars on display as well but he'd be hard pressed to make those out in the dark. The light of the moon and stars bounced off the sand giving the land an ethereal glow. And giving my skin and hair an almost angelic appearance. I've never once believed myself to beautiful, too boyish for that but given the right circumstances and the right motivation I could pull off sexy.

The Marine stopped a yard or so away and I felt more than saw him raise his weapon.

"D-don't shoot," I called, adding a quiver to my voice. Nothing got a man to lower his guard faster than the freaking damsel in distress routine. He started for me again and I stopped, letting him come to me. "I-I'm sorry my cat got loose and I must have gotten turned around in the dark trying to find him."

I mentally smiled at the image of Zee with black fluffy cat ears. A siberian tiger would come off more cuddly than a Xenomorph.

"Miss it's much too dangerous for you to be running around in the dark."

 _Oh buddy you have no idea._

"I'm sorry," I said softly. He stopped within arms reach, his standard issue plasma pulse rifle held in front of him but pointed towards the ground. The Marine was tall but then again who wasn't taller than me? He had a crew cut of no discernible color other than maybe a dark brown or black. The shadows played along a strong jaw and a hint of high cheek bone. Moonlight gleamed in his eyes, they were a deep shade of brown I thought but couldn't be certain.

"That's alright miss, how about we just get you back?" He dropped his gun to one side and stretched out his free hand to me.

I shook my head. "I wasn't apologizing for that-"

The Marines body jerked as Zee wrapped his tail around him and squeezed.

"-that's what I was apologizing for."

"The fuck is going on?!"

The Marine tried to lift the gun but his arms were pinned. I jerked the gun from his grip and hit him in the side of the head with the butt of it. The guy went limp, out cold.

"Let's get him back to the truck. We've got four hours before we meet back up with Claire and collect whatever supplies she managed to scrounge up before we hit it."

It occurred to me that this man may not know anything at all but since this was most definitely a trap chances are he knew the right amount of info to bait us. I drove out a good three miles into the desert before stopping. The unconscious Marine lay in the bed of the truck, unaware of the alien drooling all over him in anticipation. If I didn't hurry this along Zee might lose his cool and just kill him anyway. I hopped up into the truck bed and Zee hissed when I forced him to move away. The Xenomorph slunk over the side of the truck to grudgingly give me room as I propped the big man up on a spare tire.

"Freaking two hundred pounds of dead weight." I groused, while attempting to situate him better so I could tie his wrists. Unfortunately the guy chose that moment to wake up and like any good soldier worth his salt he came back fighting. A heavy booted foot came up and kicked me in the chest, I reeled back and almost fell out of the truck bed. A black blur knocked me out of the way and this time I did fall out of the truck and my asscheeks met sand. It stung but at least I hadn't fallen into a cactus... again.

"Zee don't kill him!" I shouted, upon hearing the hysterics and loud yelps from the Marine.

The Xeno gave me a shrill cry of impatience. I stood up and found the poor man pinned beneath the Xeno in a way that suggested at least one of his shoulders had popped free of its socket. Ouch.

I'd left the cab lights on, so I could clearly see the pained expression and the fear etched across the Marines face. Eyes wide he darted his gaze between me and the Xenomorph with obvious confusion. But the confusion didn't last long. He recognized me.

"Shit you're _her._ "

My eyes narrowed, "So I was right. Tell me what you know about April and Katie!"

His face pinched in confusion or possibly pain. It was hard to tell. "Who?"

I crossed my arms over my chest and leaned against the tailgate. "Please don't play stupid with me. You're already going to die but how you go and how fast is up to you."

Zee hissed, lips peeling back to reveal those deadly fangs.

The Marine swallowed hard and he struggled with renewed vigor, desperation creeping into his voice. "I don't know who you're talking about."

I was up in the truck bed and in his face. "The villagers your employers took to get me to come out of hiding. Where are they?!"

"I don't know anything about that! I mean I'd heard civilians got taken in under suspicious involvement in the destruction of the Stratus building but nothing more than that! I swear!"

"Fine," I believed him. Unless he was directly involved with their arrest he probably wouldn't hear more than planted rumors. "Do you know where they were taken?"

His face went stony and I smiled. So he did know enough to be of use. I leaned into his face and repeated myself with a threatening purr. "Where are they Marine?"

Nostrils flaring he fought to keep his fear under control as Zee's inner jaws slid out and snapped the air in front of his face. Eyes wild he searched around the truck but he knew as well as I did it was a fruitless effort. Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide, no weapons, no help and no hope, the guy seemed to come to terms with this and released a ragged breath. "Fuck you!"

My shoulders slumped, I really didn't want to hurt him more. Zee hissed in anticipation but held fast as I place a hand on the side of his head.

"Do you understand what's about to happen to you Marine? Moreover do understand the kind of people you are protecting?"

He glanced at me but his lips remained pressed together in a thin line of anger.

"What did they tell you about me?"

"You're the daughter of Dr. Cherish, the woman who brought about the apocalypse when she released the Xenomorphs." His eyes flicked to Zee then back to my frowning face. "You stole a classified project and are responsible for the destruction of Company property. You're also responsible for the deaths and unprovoked attacks of many marines."

"Unprovoked? Seriously?! I've only ever defended myself against you asstards! And stolen project my left butt cheek -look at him!" I gestured at the Xeno above him. "You can't _own_ a Xenomorph in the first place, there for I stole nothing. Hell he came and found me!"

 _Because I'd totally forgotten about him._ I added silently.

His face remained impassive and I gave him a piteous look because he wasn't going to give it up. I could see now nothing would sway him except for maybe pain. If only he understood the Company had intentionally let those little tidbits of information leek. Which meant they knew Marines would die thinking they were protecting Company secrets.

"Zee," I glanced up his sloping dome, he tilted his head in my direction. "Just don't kill him before he gives up the information."

Without a backward glance I slid off the back of the truck. The Marine didn't scream for a long time, trying to remain a strong soldier but eventually he did. I trudged further into the desert flinching at every crack of breaking bone and the slurping-sucking noises that followed. The man had been strong and held out against the pain for a surprising amount of time before finally giving up the location.

The night fell silent and I forcefully pushed back the guilt. Without the heat of the sun the desert had grown cool and I shivered, sliding my hands up and down my arms. Missing the warmth of his...

 _Shut up TK! Just shut up..._

* * *

 **A/N:** **Hi everyone! Real quick cause I know you want to get to the next chapter! So just to refresh five earth weeks have past. Hope everyone enjoyed it because honestly I'm not very happy with it but didn't have time to really rework it... for a third time. Title is 'Disconnected'.**

 **Chiva: right of passage to manhood**

 **Kehrite: training hall or dojo**

 **C'jit: shit**

 **Cutter: a human butcher involved in black market skin trade.**

 **Credit: a form of currency found in many scifi/fantasy/fictional works.**


	9. Chapter 9

**We Are the Brave**

"I'm going with you!" Claire announced, hip cocked as she stared me down with those icy blues.

"Claire" I sighed, exasperated. Crouched in the truck bed I tied down the supplies Claire had procured for us. She'd really come through which made it so much harder to tell her no.

"TK they were my _family_ long before they were your friends." She said an edge to her voice.

The long scars along my back pinched uncomfortably as I tensed at the word family. How could I argue with that? Muttering darkly, I pulled the rope knot tight, making sure the supplies were secured properly before getting to my feet. I rolled my neck trying to relieve the stiffness, the old wounds had healed but acted up when stressed. I couldn't bare the thought if something happened to Claire but really who was I to tell her no? It was her life after all. If she wanted to fight for her... _family_ then I shouldn't stand in her way.

"Alright" I said softly. Tilting my head I met her eyes and added seriously, "Don't let me regret it."

She scoffed, "Don't you worry your pretty little head over me. If I were you I'd be more concerned about that creature you call c _ompanion_. Are you sure he won't turn on us? Dick or not he's still a bloody alien."

Zee hissed as he slunk right passed her. Caught completely off guard Claire jumped and pulled the Desert Eagle free with impressive speed. Zee ignored her as he slipped into the truck bed and nudged my shoulder with his head trying to get my attention.

"Fucking alien," Claire grumbled realizing it was Zee. However she didn't holster the weapon, letting it hang loosely at her side. At least she'd lost the moomoo and looked a lot more badass in a pair of black jeans, red tank and black leather jacket. Very biker babe-esque. Who would've thought this fifty-something moomoo wearing woman would still have an hourglass figure.

Zee nudged my shoulder again and my eyes slipped to him, focusing on the point above his jaws where you'd normally find someone's eyes. He turned his head in the direction of the hub and I followed. The sun was just starting to crest the horizon over the little town which meant the other Marines would come looking for their missing comrades.

"Time to go."

...

"We're screwed." Claire said matter-of-factly. She handed me the lightweight binoculars and I peered through them. An old cement truck, upturned and half buried in the dry-cracked earth sat roughly two miles from our primary target and made a great spot to scout from unnoticed. A frown tugged at my lips. Screwed didn't even begin to cover it.

"Why?" My voice took on a bitter-sarcastic edge, "Think they've got something to hide?"

Claire said nothing but I felt the glare she shot me as I continued to survey the heavily fortified research facility. Looking vaguely like a pyramid, the building had four slanted walls that probably rose up a good thirty feet and were at least six feet thick. Not very big for a lab but then again the actual lab was probably several feet below the earth. The roof of the pyramid shaped structure was flat as though its pointed tip had been cut off and a twin engine Hornett ZRT sat nestled on top. A heavy duty transport vessel used for carrying highly volatile and unpredictable cargo. It was probably used primarily for transporting Xeno's to and from drop ships or any other nasty goodies they wanted to keep contained.

"Can you fly an airship like that?" I asked, diverting my attention to the changing of the guard. We'd be waiting around awhile if we wanted to figure out their rotation. There were four towers, each at a corner of the perimeter fence set a few yards outside the building.

"Oh _yes_ did I forget to mention I have a Class 3 ICC pilot's license?"

I lowered the binoculars and gave her a quelling look.

She shrugged, "No."

An agitated sigh slipped through my teeth. We were both on edge. Baking in our own skin under the hot afternoon sun didn't exactly help matters. We'd just figured out there was no way in hell two people could break into this place but leaving April and Katie in the _tender_ care of the Company wasn't an option. I knew first hand what these sick fucks could and would do to them and with the government in their deep pockets no one would bat an eye. Well no one on the payroll and with morals anyway.

"What about the tank?" I asked, spying the M40 heavy. "That bad boys got plasma defense guns and probably carries shells big enough to blow a hole as big as this cement truck through those concrete walls."

"Assuming I can get in it, it probably handles like a M23 Ajax."

Surprised I glanced over at her from where she sat huddle by the axle. I cocked a brow in question and she smirked. "I've never flown a day in my life but I've known a few Marines in the tank battalions. When the war first broke out with the aliens many civilians fought alongside the Marines since troops tended to drop like flies back then. By the time they figured out better ways to fight them humans had already become an endangered species."

"Who did you lose?"

I closed my eyes at the stupidity of the question. _Who did you lose? Really TK?! Idiot! Of course she lost someone!_

"Everyone. But it was the death of my sons that hit me the hardest." She glanced down at her hands, curling them into fists. "Colonial Marines, Second Battalion and part of the fifth wave of marines who died in the battle for L.A."

 _Both sons..._ I couldn't even imagine her loss, so I wouldn't disrespect her memory by trying too.

"If it helps Zee killed the bastard who loosed the aliens upon the Earth."

Her eyes came back to me. We locked gazes for a tense silent moment but finally she said, "Good. I hope it hurt like hell."

I thought about it for a second. Recalling the memory of Dr. Isles last moments. The scars along my abdomen pinched at the sensory memory because I'd nearly died as well. The whack-job was pissed that Zee kept killing the other human females, trying to figure out why the Xeno had become attached to me. Dr. Isles thought Zee considered me his mate, even though at the time neither of us were sexual mature. Perhaps he was being pressured to either show results or move on to something more promising. Whatever the reason it caused him to grow agitated and unpredictable. I thwarted it him at every turn, making even the simplest tests insufferable for him and one day he snapped. Yanked from my confinements he held my upper arms in a bruising grip and said in friggid tones how he was going to hook me up to an EI Scrambler. Not a memory wipe but a god's honest brainjuicer that would turn me into a compliant living zombie. He didn't need _me_ just my body, forcing me to become nothing more than a breeding machine once Zee was sexually mature. Except what the idiot didn't understand was that Zee and I had bonded through pain not through some absurd need to reproduce. The images are hazy but I remember flipping out, fighting tooth and nail. I'd gotten a hold of a pen and stabbed him in the arm. So when Dr. Isles in a fit of rage tried to kill me, Zee managed to break free of his restraints and came to my defense, spearing the madscientist through the chest at the same time ripping out his jugular. Personally I would've prefered to see him suffer a bit more but at least the bastard was dead.

"It did." I said finally. It had been a quick death but I'd watched the light go out in his eyes. He felt his death and had been in considerable pain for at least a full minute before succumbing to his wounds.

She nodded once, then inclined her head towards the building. "Any ideas how we get in?"

I slumped forward, setting the binoculars on the ground beside me. "Not a clue. Think they'd fall for a Girl Scout ruse?"

Her brows shot up, "You may look twelve but I doubt they'd be _that_ ignorant. If they were we wouldn't even be having this conversation."

I chuckled, "Strip-o-gram?"

A smile twitched her lips. "Like I said, body of a twelve year old-"

I scowled.

"-and I'm a little weathered."

"You mean wrinkled."

I ducked as she tossed a dry lump of dirt at me. Actually it might have worked considering the woman had a rockin bod. Models and other woman spent countless hours working out or spent thousands of credits to get a body like Claire's. Jealous? Moi? Hell yes!

"I'm serious here TK. What in the name of all that is holy are we going to do?"

"You said none of the other villagers would help. What about people outside the village? That hubs gotta be crawling with people who want to even the score with Weyland-Yutani Corp.?"

Claire's face scrunched in thought then suddenly she smiled. "We should get back to the truck and head back to the hub."

I straightened, interest peaked. "You know someone with a grudge?"

"Actually yeah. He won't get within ten miles of this place, miserable coward but we won't need 'em for manpower." She stood up and extended a hand to me. I took it and she continued while helping me up. "Are you good with needles?"

Okay now the smile was creepy. "Why?" I asked cautiously.

"I'll explain on the way and while your pet is still out of earshot."

We left Zee under the tarp, back where we'd left the truck. " Again. Why?"

"Because I don't want him to eat me when I tell you what I've got planned. Neither of you will like it."

"At this point unless we have a lot more firepower and muscle all of our options royally suck."

"True." She agreed.

It was a thirty minute walk back to the truck and Claire had been right. I really didn't like her plan but at the same time it was bloody brilliant. Brilliant in the sense that my death will be a very splashy one if it all went to shit. Which it probably would. Zee was not going to be a happy Xenomorph. We would need to come back tonight and get a full rotation schedule of the guard change and then wait till the following evening to set it in motion.

...

The chem head stared straight ahead, hazel eyes unfocused and distant. The shaggy blonde was either ignoring us or was so far gone he was viewing Saturn's rings. I waved a hand in front of his face. The guy didn't even blink. Yup nobody was home.

 _Is he even breathing?_

I took a step closer and noticed the way his pulse jumped hard against his thin neck. Black dust glittered under his nose, catching and reflecting the light in an oddly beautiful way. Whatever he was on might've fooled his brain into a dream-like calm but it sent his heart into a frenzy. I'm not a doctor but I was afraid the guy was gonna have a heart attack right in front of us.

My eyes raised slowly to find Claire wasn't even paying attention, preoccupied in a heated conversation with another chem head who's brain hadn't left orbit unlike his friends. The man was in his late forties, tall and willowy with greasy black hair slicked back in a low ponytail, giving a clear view of his acid burned face. He'd survived a Xenomorph attack at some point or another but probably couldn't deal without the drugs. Most people needed some form of coping mechanism after the apocalypse. I may not agree with how he dealt with reality but then again mine wasn't exactly healthy either. I had a knack for trouble. In fact trouble liked me in the worst way and I'm always up for a fight despite the odds against survival. My suicidal lifestyle was just as destructive as a chem heads if not more so but at least I was doing _something_.

 _Please tell me this is not the guy? No way in hell am I putting my life in his hands._

Claire's icy blues shot over her shoulder and met my skeptical gaze. Lips pressed thin she waved me over to them. I obeyed but not before sweeping the area with a wary glance. Crowds made me antsy, especially since there were Marines about. None were close by from what I could tell but their nearness pressed against my spine like the heat of the sun. I've only ever met one Marine in my life that had proven to be trustworthy and I wished like hell he was at my back for what we were about to do. As far as I knew Private Hudson was dead. The Marine had gone rogue and both the military and the Company frown upon this. I didn't think of him often but I hoped the guy simply found a distant rock and was hiding out.

"TK-"

I blinked up at Claire and the chem head staring down at me.

"-this is Sly Glitch."

He inclined his head, both of his pupils blown, making it impossible to determine the true color of his irises. Yet he held my gaze with intense interest, something that should've been impossible but then again I have no idea of the drugs illegal or otherwise on the market except for the common ones.

"Sly Glitch? Techy?"

He nodded, face carefully schooled as he openly assessed me. I did the same. Eyes wandering over the length of the acid burn scar. The left side of his scalp and face was a mess, drooping down from the thick scars. The tight pink tissue descended down his neck but how far it spread I couldn't tell with the high collared tan tunic he wore.

I glanced at Claire as the techy continued to observe me with an annoying amount of intrigue. She met my eyes and shrugged, apparently unsure why the tech had taken a sudden interest in me.

"What?" I finally bit out. Ready to hear the same old song and dance about my physical limitations. People often underestimated me because of my height and lack of muscle. What muscle I have is athletic and lean but doesn't pose a significant threat to a standard marines physique. I'd let the techy make his assumptions because I knew I didn't need to defend myself. I'm alive and all the fools who thought of me as weak were dead.

"You're Dr. Cherish's daughter."

It wasn't a question and I'd been dead wrong about his interest. Wide eyed I glanced at Claire who was staring at me as if I sprouted a second head.

"Dr. Cherish? _The_ Dr. Cherish?! The one who released-"

I shushed her, waving a hand to point out where we were at and moved in close to them. Claire took a step back, it stung but I ignored it. "Yes Dr. Cherish was my mother and before either of you say something stupid let me tell you right now my mother had nothing to do with the aliens getting loose. She just took the fall for it." I whispered vehemently.

Claire scowled, "Not according to the..."

She'd been about to say the Company then apparently realized just who she was talking about.

"Son of bitch! Then what bastard were you referring to earlier? Who cost my sons their lives?!"

"Dr. Greg Isles." Sly Glitch said flatly, his voice scratchy and painful sounding. The scarring must've affected his vocal cords.

We both stared at the techy. The only people who would've known it was Dr. Isles and not my mother were people in the Company. My hand flexed around the collapsed spear resting against my back. When I addressed the chem head again my voice had taken on a low warning edge. "And how do you know that?"

Those black orbs settled on my eyes and I tensed.

"Because I worked for the Company." His fingers traced the burn scar along his face.

"People don't just _leave_ the Company." I said skeptically. The Company kept things very neat and tidy, loose ends often dealt with swiftly and efficiently.

His hand dropped from his face, "They think I'm dead and I'd like to keep it that way."

Because of the effect the drugs had on his pupils and pulse I had a hard time telling whether or not it was the truth but what choice did we have?

"Claire?"

I felt her eyes on me but didn't want to drop Sly Glitch's gaze. "Do you trust him?"

"Yes." She said firmly.

"Funny how you neglected to tell me he use to work for Weyland-Yutani." I said, relinquishing my grip on the spear.

Claire's icy blues grew guarded, "Funny how you didn't tell me who your mother was."

"My mother didn't cause the apocalypse," I bit out.

"Maybe not but you hid it all the same." The heat left her voice and her stance softened, looking a bit apologetic for her reaction. "Besides TK would you have agreed to meet with Sly Glitch if I'd told you up front who he use to work for?"

"No." My eyes rose back up to meet the techy, "But we're here now so tell me how you intend to help us?"

* * *

 **Nracha-dte Halkrath's**

Why did he come here? The warrior questioned his motives for the zillionth time as he stepped through the umbilical connection tethering his ship to Ra'zele's. He was encroaching on another males territory, a seasoned warrior not unlike himself. If their roles were reversed Halkrath knew he would not take kindly to the intrusion of another to simply glean information on how he lived with an ooman for a mate. Yautja males are typically loners by choice and for good reason. All Yautja are territorial, some more than others but a mated Yautja... well it's just healthier to stay out of their territory. He would have to tread carefully.

Ra'zele's collection of trophies was extensive and impressive, hanging proudly from the walls of the other hunters trophy room. Halkrath appreciated the way the other warrior made sure the array of skulls was impossible to miss before entering the cockpit, forcing all to look upon them as they passed.

The ooman female's scent grew stronger as he neared the cockpit it filtered in through his bio helmet but it did not elicit the same visceral reaction as his own mates scent.

 _His..._ There it was again. That nagging instinctual possessiveness for the little ooman back on the dying planet. Halkraths anger flared in his chest but he quelled the urge to growl. The last thing he wanted was to be perceived as a threat even if the thought of a good fight had crossed his mind.

The door to the cockpit opened with a quiet whoosh of air and the warrior removed the bio helmet as he entered. Halkrath didn't know what he expected to find but what he found surprised him to say the least. From what he'd learned about Ra'zele he did not foresee such a fearsome warrior lounging in the main chair with an ooman female curled in his lap. Ra'zele met his gaze and Halkrath tensed, ready for a fight but the female in his lap sensed this tension and placed a hand on his chest.

"Enough." The smoky sound of her voice was soft but both males heard the command. Halkrath stiffened at this, not enjoying being told by anyone what to do. If she'd been anyone else the warrior might've had to demonstrate his dominance. Halkrath did however spare a moment of surprise as the other male complied and subtly relaxed but not before placing a possessive hand on the females thigh.

"Shadow?"

Halkraths gaze fell upon the females mismatched eyes. She'd surprised him once again.

"May I call you that? I apologize for not being able to pronounce your name but it is difficult for a human to enunciate in your tongue. Wolf has assured me that Shadow is the rough translation." She placed a hand on her rather large mammary glands and said, "You may refer to me as Eve."

Halkrath merely nodded, eyes studying the ooman female and how she affected Ra'zele. Viscerally. Judging by the way Ra'zele was reacting to his presence.

"Do we disgust you?" She asked point blank.

Outwardly he did not react to the unexpected question but mentally he turned it over and over. Seeing a Yautja with an ooman did bother him. Ra'zele was a legend amongst his clan, dangerously aggressive with a type of blood drive more commonly associated with Bad Bloods. Ra'zele was older than Halkrath and had seen many more battles. The left side of his face was scared and he was missing an upper mandible so it did look rather strange to see an ooman female perched in his lap. Halkrath knew just because the female was ooman didn't mean she wasn't a capable warrior. He'd seen first hand how dangerous a cornered ooman female could be. Halkrath wondered what exactly this female had done to garner the attention of a ruthless hunter such as Ra'zele.

"No," he said finally. "Confuuused. NoT disgusssTed."

His ooman speech was getting better but Ra'zeles mate had been right about the difficulties of enunciating in someone else's tongue.

* * *

 **Eve's POV**

Shadow stood quietly, I could see he was trying to work through the confusion in an attempt to understand. I felt sorry for the guy. Only because I myself still didn't understand it. Wolf never could explain it either.

I glanced up at my mate and he met my eyes briefly before returning his attention to the other male. From what I've been told the Yautja species mate in seasons and don't form lasting bonds but every once in awhile a mate bond does occur and it is a rare thing. Wolf had recognized me as his mate the moment he first saw me and pursued me aggressively even in the midst of battle. I fought it for a long time but Yautja are tenacious and never give up no matter the odds. Not even if their so-called mate happens to be a redheaded human with a vicious temper. Or so I've been told.

"Shadow," my eyes drifted back to our _visitor_ and I met his yellow orbs without flinching, "it's time for you to leave."

He cocked his head, brow ridge dipping down as he trilled in agitation. Like all Yautja he didn't appreciate being told what to do or being dismissed. Wolf's body tensed against me and he flared his mandibles slightly in apprehension.

"Don't be foolish," I added sharply, addressing both males. Having two older Yautja males in the same room, one being mated and one not was a potent cocktail of testosterone and a promise of violence. Especially if they weren't from the same clan.

"Shadow. You already know what you want, your just being stubborn. Lying to yourself can only lead to a disastrous outcome."

Shadow rested his brooding gaze on me for a moment and I met his yellow orbs coolly. His mandibles worked for a second but suddenly he turned on his heel and exiting without preamble. Yautja are not good at expressing themselves, except for aggression and sorrow. Learning to live with their abrupt dismals, brash and brazen behavior, sudden departures and silent brooding is a pain in the ass. The Yautja species as a whole kind of reminded me of Bruce Banner's alter ego the Hulk. To remain in control of his alter Banner must always remain a little angry. Which is exactly how I would describe the nature of the Yautja. Always a little angry to keep the beast in check. The ultimate bad boys of the universe.

 _Crap I'm one of those stereotyped women in some cheap romance novel with sparkly vampires..._

Wolf wrapped his arms around me and pulled me into his chest. A possessive gesture not to be confused with love. Wolf cared for me deeply but at the moment, affection was not his motive. Even with the other male gone he still had to touch me. To reassure himself.

Wolf didn't relax until the other male had completely vacated the ship. The tension in the room melted and I could breath again.

"Dtoudi R'ka," he growled softly. Trailing his claws teasingly along my bare thigh.

I snorted at the endearing nickname and settled against him. Playfully swatting at the offending hand is tugged at my shorts. He growled, cupping my butt and giving me a look that dared me to smack his hand away again.

"Vor'mekta," I muttered softly. Smiling as he chuckled. It was the only word I could really say in his tongue without completely butchering it. More of an inside joke between us now but once upon a time I would've said it with vehemence. He really had pursued me aggressively. Natural behavior for a Yautja but humans would've called it stalking.

 _At least he doesn't sparkle..._

* * *

 **TK's POV**

"Stop scratching! Do you want to blow us up?!" Claire asked through clenched teeth.

My fingers stilled at her words but it was very hard to ignore the persistent itch along my calf. "I can't help it!"

She gave me a warning glare over the rim of the binoculars before going back to watching the building. We were gaging their rotation of the guard and filing away any other important information we came across. I hated sitting here, hiding in the deep shadows of the old cement truck. It wasn't my style but this obviously called for tact and forethought.

"I can't see your pet."

She was referring to Zee, who was MIA at the moment. It was full dark out and unless he wanted us to see him Claire would never spot him. "He's probably gaging their perimeter defense."

"Think he'll actually let you handle this solo?" She dropped the binoculars and eyed me with unbridled curiosity. "It's rather terrifying to see a Xenomorph so loyal to a human. You never did tell me how you managed that."

"Long story." I said shortly, hoping to discourage her from prying any further. Claire knew Zee was male and that he'd been an experiment cooked up by my mother and Dr. Isles but that was all the information I was willing to give her.

"Long night."

"Indeed." I agreed, voice tight. We had twelve hours to get our shit together before going ahead with Claire's plan. I hated knowing that everything hinged on the chem head. Things were gonna be tough going in alone, maybe impossible but I couldn't bring Zee.

"Is that why the Company wants you so badly? Because you can control a Xeno?"

A wry chuckle rumbled in my chest. "No one can control a Xenomorph. We have a mutual respect but Zee does whatever the fuck he wants." My face and tone dead panned when I met her eyes and said, "Claire you don't wanna know why they want me. Trust me on this."

A scowl crossed her features but she nodded, even though I could easily see the questions still bubbling up. She looked away and to my amazement dropped the subject completely and focused on the here and now. "Fine let's go over the plan again."

"Don't beat a dead horse."

Her eyes narrowed, "This all falls on you TK. You understand that right?"

"We can go over the details till we're blue in the face Claire it doesn't change anything. What I understand is I _might_ be able to pull this off but I'm not stupid enough to think it'll go flawlessly. There are too many variables unaccounted for. I'll be outnumbered and outclassed. All I have to fall back on is some crazy experimental technology cooked up by a chem head and hope like hell it'll work without blowing me the fuck up by mistake."

"He's the best TK. It'll work."

My brows furrowed, voice dropping below freezing. "Yeah well if it doesn't it's my ass on the line. And if I die you can sure as hell bet Katie and April will join me shortly in the afterlife because they will have lost their usefulness."

"It'll work damn it! Once things are set in motion I'll get in place and have your back."

 _Set in motion... Riiight. And that's exactly when the shit hits the fan._

* * *

 **A/N:** **Two chapters in one day! Woohoo! I really do hope you guys enjoyed the two updates because I wasn't to happy with them but I'm super excited about next week's update and I'm actually close to finishing it. So if any of you enjoyed the books and the movies like moi let me apologize up front because not all of the weapons and so forth come from the actual alien stories. The M40 heavy came straight out of one of the books but the Ajax and a few others are ones I came up with because it is hell trying to remember all of the weaponry and gear from the alien universe and the predator verse. But it is fun creating my own. Also the Colonial Battalion Tank division is right out of the books too. I borrowed Private Hudson from Aliens (2nd movie) if anyone caught that. ;)**

 **Chem head: A term used in the original Alien novels to describe a drug and or chemical user.**

 **Dtoudi: Little (unconfirmed translation but I think I'm close)**

 **R'ka: Fire**

 **Vor'mekta: Stalker**

 **Ra'zele: Wolf (I made up Ra'zeles Yautja name but this character is Wolf from AVP Requiem.)**

 **Spoiler: Ra'zele aka Wolf and Eve are part of a (possible) different story.**

 **Hopefully everyone enjoys me bringing back some minor characters and expanding upon them. Anyway sorry for any mistakes! Okay so I also wanna talk about a couple reviews that weren't really questions but warrant a response. So it's come to my attention that some readers do not really enjoy the POV switching. Truthfully neither do I but again this story (even though I dabbled with a few others) is a comeback after about three years without writing and I wanted to build up my skill. It won't happen as often in later chapters and probably won't happen at all in future stories.**

 **A few reviewers wrote they'd like to see all three end up together. This made me smile but a Yautja/human pairing is already super difficult (for me at least) to write because like I said before Yautja and humans would never work outside of fanfiction. Which of course is the beauty of fanfiction but it would be almost impossible for me to write. Only because Yautja and Xenomorphs sharing a mate is mind blowing to someone like me. That would be like two male wolves sharing one mate. It does not happen. They would shred each other. But I'm super glad you like my characters that much. ;)**

 **Okay last one. A reviewer suggested I might change the rating to T. While it's true I'd probably get more reviews (which we all know I eat up like candy XD) leaving it M gives me more room to adjust. Plus if things do need more of an M rating later I won't have to change it again. Besides TK's got a pretty bad mouth anyway and although there's no real nudity or sex it leaves the option open if I choose.**

 **Q &A: will Halkrath return?... I answered this question once before but don't mind doing so again. Halkrath will return but this is a slow burn romance (as another reviewer put it) ;)**

 **Correction : I plan to make a little adjustment to chapter three. I stated in that chapter that the three xenomorphs in the stockades died from starvation. I've been rereading a few of the original Alien novels and realized this is a mistake. Minor but I'm going to correct it. Xenomorphs can live without a food source for years because they can put themselves in a kind of stasis. Same method facehuggers use on their victims. My characters are obviously OC to the books and movies but I'm trying to keep it as close to the vest as possible. **

**P.S. Thank you! The reviews were awesome and I loved every single one! Give me more love! Till next time!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Natural Born Sinner**

"This is gonna suck." I sighed, eying my two targets warily. The Marines were chatting up my old friend, the pigman. Getting caught was gonna be easy, its what came after that I wasn't looking forward too. Man-oh-man what I wouldn't give to have the Predator at my back right about now.

 _You're a big girl TK. You've been handling shit just fine on your own._ Seriously why did my inner monolog always sound so sane and... _British_? Being alone so long might have definitely left me with a few loose screws. Case in point, I was about to willingly let myself get caught in the Company's trap and hopefully get carted off to the same compound we'd been surveying for twenty some odd hours. Things could get really hairy if we were wrong and I got taken some place completely different. Hell that would just be plain embarrassing and cost me my freedom for no fucking reason.

Skeptical, I glanced at the inside of my left wrist, eying the black markings. "You sure this'll work?"

"Yes." The techy said fervently.

He wasn't high today, a relief seeing as though he'd be the one at my back... sort of. I think he genuinely wanted to help us if only to have the chance to stick it to the Company. He blinked at me, his hazel eyes focused and sharp. Claire had called him a coward and he wanted to remain _dead_ to the Company so if this thing went belly-up I was sure he'd throw us to the wolves and high tail it on the next drop ship out of here.

My eyes met Claire's and she tipped her head at me, indicating she was ready on her end. Zee was also ready, pissed but ready. The sun still hung high in the sky so he wouldn't be doing anything till full dark. For the next several hours I was on my own.

With a sharp inhale I gave the two a mock salute, about faced and headed off to my doom. You know the moment when you're watching an action movie and the hero is about to make a really stupid decision and you yell fruitless at the screen as if they can hear you? Que intense music because I was about to make said stupid decision.

 _"Fifteen minutes... You'll have to react fast."_ The techies words played over in my head. Everything had to be timed perfectly. _Everything_.

Adrenaline surged through my veins, causing my heart to beat faster than a Star Jumper could leap through space. I fixed my steely gaze on the pigman, waltz right up to him just as the Marines turned to leave and kicked him right in the jewels. His sweaty face turned ashen, his one good eye wide with shock which quickly turned to pain. With a yelp, he fell to one knee while holding his crotch. The pigman's face flamed with anger upon recognizing me before paling as he barely had time to register my knee as it connected with his chin.

"You heartless pig!" I shrieked. "We have two kids together! How could you fuck that chem head bitch?!" I blew out a hotty breath, tossing my blonde hair behind me. "Just because the bitch has tits big enough to have their own orbit doesn't mean you can cheat you filthy-"

A hand gripped my shoulder and I glared up at the Marine with a snarl. In my periphery, I caught sight of Claire with a hand over her mouth trying not die of laughter.

"Miss? Is there a problem here?" The Marine asked while the other helped pigman to his feet. The man holding me had nice eyes, bright green set in a handsome face if you didn't mind the butt chin.

"Of course, there's a problem! This cheating bastard-"

"I have no idea who that crazy bitch is!" Pigman shouted, wiping at the blood dribbling from the corner of his mouth.

I huffed, "Right. I'm the crazy one! Says the father of our two kids-"

"Lady I don't have kids! And someone should up your dosage! Or down it!" Pigman's good eye met the gaze of the Marine holding me. "That bitch is on something!"

Butt chin sighed and met my eyes. "Miss what's your name?"

My eyes widened with horror and mock hurt. "Vincent?! How could you ask such a thing?! You had no problem remembering my name last night. Calling it out over and over as you banged me from beh-"

"That's enough!" Butt chin said through gritted teeth, looking royally pissed at this point. "Phillips-" He glanced at the other Marine who was sniggering under his breath. "-find out who this whackjob is. She seems familiar."

Silent merth still shook the other man's shoulders, getting a good kick out his buddies embarrassment. Phillips was shorter than Butt chin but taller than me by a head. He had a severe crew cut and pockmarked skin from bad acne as an adolescent.

Phillips held up a datapad, scanning my face and retinas. He wouldn't find anything with the retina scan but I knew the moment the facial recognition software flagged me because the smile vanished from Phillip's face. His brows shot up and he gave me a look of utter disbelief. "No way."

Butt chin shifted, taking the datapad from the other man's hand as he continued to stare. I smiled, showing teeth and I swear Phillips flinched. It made me feel rather badass that tiny me could cause a man with so much muscle to flinch.

A low whistle came from Butt chin and I settled my eyes on him, making them big and wide and oh-so-innocent. The grip on my shoulder tightened as he addressed Phillips, "We just hit pay dirt."

Phillip's hands flexed around his gun. "This chic is bad news Rossey. She cleaned out a pack of Xenomorphs attacking a village not too far from here a couple months back by _herself_."

Not entirely true but I took it as a compliment.

Butt chin glanced down at me, a dubious look on his face. He read the warrant but he didn't believe it. His eyes flicked to the pigman who still cupped his jewels, and a subtle wariness drew his brows together. All emotion vacated my face, making it difficult for him to read me.

"Well, whatever she's on now seems to have-"

I elbowed him hard in the gut. Trying to move this along a little faster. Making a move as if to run Phillips dug up his balls and aimed his standard issue pulse rifle right at my chest.

"Don't move!" He snarled.

I didn't. Phillips looked a little twitchy.

"Bitch!" Rossey of the butt chin growled, he grabbed my arms and twisted them up and around painfully behind my back. Cold metal slid over my wrists and I heard the resounding click of the heavy cuffs lock. The sound sent a jolt of panic through me. Freedom slipping away as I was hauled to my feet and quickly patted down. They took the knife at my back and the empty .45 from me which were the only weapons they would find. Hopefully.

"Let's go collect the bounty on this bitch." Rossey snarled.

The barrel of his rifle pressed into my spine and shoved me forward. I went, trying hard not to actually freak out and run. I've done some pretty boneheaded things in my time but something about this felt final. Yes, I wanted to help April and Katie but I'd be lying to myself if I claimed not to be afraid. I was afraid. I was downright terrified! Dr. Isles had been the boogie man when I was twelve but I knew he was sprinkles compared to other scientists who worked for Weyland-Yutani. If I failed not even death could save me.

...

 _Relax TK... if you panic everyone dies._

The armored SandCat wasn't built for speed so the drive to the compound was agonizingly slow. Once secured inside the vehicle the reality of it all really sank in. Fear twisted my guts into knots but outwardly I gave the two Marines watching me nothing, dropping the bat-shit-crazy blonde ruse completely... okay maybe not completely but they didn't know that.

Closing my eyes I took in a series of controlled breaths, mentally bracing myself. I'd become dangerously dependent on having someone at my back and had to remember that not so long ago I was on my own. Right now I needed that TK. If I kept thinking someone will save me than I was already dead.

A third Marine drove the SandCat and hollered to the two men in the back that we were approaching the gates. My eyes slid open, there were no windows in the belly of the vehicle but I knew where we were headed. Now I just had to hope like hell that Katie and April were actually there.

A few minutes later we were inside and Rossey jerked me up by the front of the shirt while Phillips threw open the door.

"Move," he barked. With Rossey at my back and Phillips in front of me they escorted me out of the vehicle and into jaws of the beast.

Several Marines stopped what they were doing to watch and I silently counted them. How many didn't really make a difference I was screwed either way if the techies plan failed. They walked me through a bay that housed two tanks and a whole lot of other firepower all with the Weyland 'W' stamped on them. The Military and the Company were separate but everyone knew who was really in charge. If all of your weapons, gear and supplies come from one place then it would be best not to piss them off. The Company got away with a lot of crap because they'd made the government their bitch.

"Stop."

I glanced up, meeting the cold gaze of another Marine. He stood at about 6'5'' with skin so dark it reminded me of a Xenomorphs. The stripes on his thick shoulders and the way the men at my sides straightened suggested he was some sort of higher up but military ranks were lost on me. All I ever needed to know was what weapons they had and if could I get my hands on them.

My eyes took in the full body scanner meaning this was the checkpoint. I thumbed the inside of my left wrist, feeling the still somewhat swollen flesh from the slim barcode tattooed there. If this didn't work then I got branded for nothing and would probably rot in here.

 _"Palms out. Make sure the scanner sweeps over your wrist and don't screw this it up!"_ The techies words played over and over in my mind as the big guy jerked his head towards the small closet sized scanner. In this day and age, technology only became more complex, the scanner would check for weapons but it would also check my chest cavity for any incubating aliens. You had to be really crafty to sneak anything in beyond this point. Yet according to the techy, the complexity of our technology was its own downfall.

Rossey pushed me inside the almost completely glass box and stepped back. Exhaling a controlled breath I nonchalantly twisted my wrists as best I could with the cuffs still on. A blue beam of light started at the top of my head and moved down my body on both sides then back up. I heard several little chirps coming from the computer station the big Marine was leaning in front of and felt my pulse pick up in response.

 _Fifteen minutes... In fifteen minutes I'll know if that techy was just full of shit or not._

"Get her out of there." The big guy growled, face stony as he eyed me. "Take her boots."

 _Damn._ They'd discovered the blades in my boots. Not really a surprise, their security would be really poor if they'd missed them but I hated the idea of giving them up.

Rossey took my boots and both he and Phillips took a step back as the big guy approached. I swallowed and my calf began to itch.

 _"Don't scratch! Do you wanna blow us up?!"_

I resisted the urge to scratch, Claire's panicky voice a heady reminder.

The big man stared down at me, his eyes were nearly as dark as his skin but held a lot more intelligence than the other two. We both _knew_ I was up to something. I inclined my head, giving him a brief smile. Give respect where it is due. His dark eyes narrowed in suspicion, keeping himself sharp and alert even though no one would think of me as a threat to this man.

The big guy took the cuffs off to my relief. "Let's go," he said in a low gravely voice. Rossey and Phillips flanked me at the sides while the big guy took up the rear, his eyes boring into the back of my skull as they led me to god only knows where.

I made sure to pay close attention to every turn. Trying to escape while lost seemed to be a talent of mine. Although this time, I didn't have any grenades- okay I kinda did.

Lips pressed thin, I frowned as we all packed into an elevator. I'd been right about this place. The military set up was what people saw on the outside but down below the earth that's where the actual lab was.

 _Bug nuts..._

This might get really complicated.

We came to a stop and the lift opened up to a brightly lit corridor with a lot of closed doors and big viewing windows. Inside one of the window's I spotted a man or possibly a woman decked out in yellow hazmat with a mop, scrubbing away at a viscous black liquid on the tile. The room had been trashed and my eyes widened a fraction at the claw marks on the walls.

"Hope you guys get good medical," I muttered. Of course, what good was medical if you're dead.

No one responded which was just as well. Though I did catch the way Phillips turned a little green upon seeing the room.

Several annoying minutes later, about the time I figured out that the big guy had been steering me around to confuse me we came to a stop at a red door.

 _Dramatic._

The big guy moved in front and ushered us inside. My brow arched as the flare for the dramatic continued. A large redwood desk sat like a small island in the room. The walls were large paneled simulator screens with a crystal clear view of an ocean and beach. The movements and sounds were so real I nearly forgot we were underground which was the point.

An unfamiliar man stood in front of the desk, the smile on his fine-boned face said he was definitely pleased. Rossey shoved at my shoulder and I approached, every step tripping alarm bells in my head. Something was very very wrong.

The man behind the desk hadn't done anything but smiled, yet I felt as though I was treading water with a shark lurking in the shallows. I stopped and the smile turned predatory.

I schooled my face but inside the instinctual fight or flight syndrome had kicked in, causing my pulse to spike.

"Tessa Kellen Cherish so nice to finally meet you. I'm Avery Dumont, lead scientist and the overseer of this particular lab but Avery will suffice. You've been giving us the run around for some time now, hm?"

 _Does he expect me to answer? Shit how much time has passed?!_

He clucked his tongue thoughtfully. "You have stolen Weyland Yutani property."

My brows furrowed, "The Xenomorph is gone. I have nothing you want."

It shouldn't have been possible but his smile definitely became more shark-like. He chuckled softly, "Amusing. You really have no idea do you?"

I stared at him in confusion. He came around the desk and the big guy laid his hands on my shoulders and I stiffened in response.

Avery wasn't a very tall man, nor was he very big but a shiver skittered over my skin like a thousand angry ants at his nearness. He reached out and I bared my teeth. He didn't touch me, he grabbed the pendant resting against the thumping pulse in my throat and jerked it free. The slim chain snapped and stung the back of my neck. He held the pendant in his palm and thumbed the little glass cylinder held by the tiny metal Xenomorph.

 _"Never take it off..."_

The blood in my veins froze as I recalled my mother's parting words.

"Do you know what this is Tessa Kellen?"

I swallowed and my voice sounded small even to my ears. "It's just a trinket from my late mother."

His eyes narrowed in dark amusement. "Trinket," he chuckled. "What if I were to tell you this _trinket_ of yours contains the genetic coding for male Xenomorphs?"

I don't know what form of shock crossed my face but Avery found it very funny.

"So you see Tessa Kellen I never needed your... Zee. A Xenomorph, especially one such as your pet would've been a pain to capture. You yourself were just as elusive until you came upon a village and made friends. That was where you slipped up and I think you know it too. So all I had to do was find something you wanted to get you to bring this _trinket_ to me."

Anger flared hot in my chest, "Where are they?!"

He snorted softly, "You'll be joining them shortly."

Avery examined the vial under the light as he walked back around his desk.

"You can't do this!" The big hands on my shoulders kept me from lurching forward. "They will become the ultimate race!"

"And you'll be helping me by birthing the second male Xeno into the world," he said coldly. Every ounce of false warmth vacated his face and eyes.

My mind flashed on a facehugger attaching itself to my face, forcing an embryo down my throat and then my chest ripped open as the chestbuster emerged. I mentally shook myself and returned his icy stare.

"You can not control them. One male Xenomorph is more dangerous than a queen and her entire brood!"

"You've seen this?" He asked, looking only mildly surprised.

"Yes."

He tilted his head with interest. "Meaning you've seen the male Xeno in action and up close." Avery's eyes narrowed to slits. "He's been following you. The attachment the male formed with you as a child is still there. Dr. Isles was right."

"What Zee and I share is a fluke of nature. You can not make more of them. They are _not_ pets."

"I assure you, Tessa, I don't intend to use them as pets. However confirmation of Dr. Isles theory does change things." Avery glanced at the big guy still holding me and jerked his head towards the door.

"You can't do this!" I shouted as the big guy dragged me towards the door. I fought him but I might as well push a mountain. "You can't do this!"

Avery smiled that shark-like smile and said, "But I can."

The door closed even as I continued to yell and fight the large hands holding me. Things really had taken a turn. An unexpected and dangerous turn which once again was my fault. I just handed the Company the ability to wipe out the remainder of the human race.

Desperate I glanced up, back pressing into the big guys chest as I fruitlessly still tried to halt his long strides. "Listen to me! Don't you guys get it?!" None of them looked at me. "If you let him create male Xenomorphs everything that remains will die! When did you guys go from protecting people to being the Company's bitches?!"

We stopped in front of a door and the big guy leaned over my head and the little black dome above the keypad scanned his retina. The door opened with a silent _swish_ and my ire tipped dangerously towards shrieking bitch as I spotted April and Katie in separate cells. April was by herself and appeared unconscious on the floor. Katie sat in the corner of her cell as close as she could get to her grandmother with an unfamiliar woman sitting next to her.

"You are all going to die," I said in a voice smooth as silk and devoid of emotion. I felt more than saw the two at my sides still but the big guy behind pushed me forward unphased.

Rossey shoved me into the cell next to April and Phillips closed it via the computer station set out in front of the cells. All three men filed out, the big guy to whom I still had no name for stopped to look at me one last time before exiting.

The high polished walls of my cell were not thick panes of glass but crystal. Most likely crystal harvested from the moons of Erys which were valued for their resistance to a multitude of things, one being Xeno blood. The crystal was an unexpected surprise but one I could work with.

I crouched next to April's cell but couldn't see any external wounds. Her graying blonde hair was stuck to her sweat slicked face and neck. A fever may be. I glanced up meeting the unfamiliar woman's brown eyes. She had a cut above her left brow and it oozed a milky white fluid. Android. She was an android. My eyes then fell on Katie who had yet to notice me. She seemed to be in a state of shock.

"Katie," I said softly.

She didn't move.

I shuffled as close as I could to the crystal on hands and knees. "Katie? Katie, it's me, TK."

Her head jerked up, brown eyes so wide the whites were visible all the way around. "TK?"

My heart broke at the raw sound of her voice.

Katie's lips trembled and I could see the tears building. "TK. You came for us."

I smirked, "Yeah kid."

The lights flickered and I glanced up. Was it working?

"Your TK?"

I met the androids questioning stare. Did I know her? Her voice sounded vaguely...

"Call?"

She nodded.

 _Well, that's a freebie._

"Thanks for the assist back at the Stratus building. Sorry, you got caught."

She shrugged and I was struck by how unnervingly human it seemed. I hold no prejudice against androids but honestly I haven't been around all that many. Call looked completely human sitting against the crystal and rubbing circles on Katie's back. The fear in her eyes screamed human but the milky white blood made her an android. I wondered if the emotion was real or part of the programming. She took a breath and exhaled a long sigh. Did androids need to breathe?

 _Focus TK!_

"What happened to April?"

Call shook her head, making her short brown locks sway. "I was brought in here a few hours ago. April has been like this ever since."

My eyes settled on Katie who was still staring at her grandmother. "Katie, do you know what happened?"

Her brown eyes never blinked or strayed as she spoke in a hushed tone. "They took her away. She was gone for a long time and when they brought her back this morning she was like this." Finally, her solemn brown orbs strayed up to meet my concerned gaze. "You're going to save us again... right?"

 _Even if it costs me my life Katie._

"Damn straight kiddo. Damn straight." I got to my feet and pressed a hand to the crystal, surveying the room before glancing back at her.

Her brown eyes focused on the crystal between us and I saw the skepticism there.

"What's the plan?" Call asked, getting to her feet.

 _Damn how much time has past?!_

As if on cue the lights went out, throwing us into total darkness for about three seconds and then the emergency lights flicked on. Both Katie and Call were standing now, holding one another and glancing around.

I smiled. Adrenaline surged through my veins making me feel almost giddy. We were about to take the fight to them and it thrilled me. A fight I can handle. A fight meant freedom. Locking me in a cage would've killed me long before they could impregnate me with an alien.

Calls eyes came back to me first. "You did this?"

"With help." I glanced at the barcode tattoo, unable to hide how glad I was to be wrong for once. Who would've thought you could plant a virus in a tattoo. A voracious one at that. I hadn't believed the techy at all when he and Claire came up with the idea. Fifteen minutes to spread and attack all the systems. In about five more minutes the virus would eat through the safety features which would release ever single lock including the holding pins for aliens and in ten it would be a total blackout, except for the source of power. The core.

 _I can't let anything survive..._

I'd handed them the ability to make more Xenomorphs like Zee and now I had to clean up the mess.

"What's going on TK?" Call asked.

I crouched and rolled up my pant legs. Couldn't wait the five minutes. Had to get Katie and everyone out as fast as I could. Weyland's people had been busy playing god and I really didn't want to meet the critters they spliced together.

"What is that? TK what's happening?!" Call asked, sounding a lot more frantic.

"TK?"

Katie's voice snapped my attention up and I smiled reassuringly, hoping none of the manic showed through. "Listen things are about to happen very fast. I'll need you both on your toes and to follow every order I give you."

Katie licked her lips and took a deep breath through her nose. She was regaining composure and the strong girl I met in the midst of marauders gave me a sharp nod. Eight years old and she had more backbone than most adults. It was sad to think she never had or would have a real childhood. Kids that grow up in these dark times learned to grow up fast or die.

I looked up at Call, "Androids are strong right?"

"About three times as strong as a full grown human male." She pursed her lips and I think I saw shame. "I'm an older model. Newer ones are far superior."

I snorted rudely, "I highly doubt that."

Now that I knew for sure the techy hadn't been pulling my leg about the virus I felt newfound respect and a little fear for the bombs strapped to my legs. The barcode had been ingenious which made the bombs downright mind blowing. Thin as a sheet of paper, they'd adhered to the skin and were undetectable to the scanner. If someone got curious and looked at them you'd think it was nothing more than skin because the thing camouflaged itself perfectly to match my skin tone. This stuff went beyond high-tech and I totally understand why the Company would like to get their greedy hands on Sly Glitch.

Gingerly I peeled one off and almost immediately the camouflage faded and it turned black. I didn't know how the thing worked and I didn't care so long as it did work. I laid the strip along the side of my cell, far away from the others just in case and pressed it against the crystal. There was a small tag at one end, about the size of my pinky nail. I pulled it and fled to the opposite end.

"Get down!"

The thing lit up, startling bright with a strange scent of ozone and the bomb went off with an eardrum-shattering bang!

* * *

 **A/N:** **Hold onto your butts because the next chapter's a bang! The song that inspired this chapter 'Natural Born Sinner'. Probably should start making up titles since the music ones only make sense to me. I think I upset some people with those last two chapters. Oh well can't win them all. Besides some of the reviews I got really made me happy. Thanks for all the favorites and follows!**

 **Shout out to all those who reviewed. Thank you so much! Makes me feel like I'm doing something right with this story!**

 **Now quick go read the next chapter! XD**


	11. Chapter 11

**Radio Active**

The size of the explosion shocked me, blasting me with a wave of heat that burned my forearms. Chunks of crystal smacked against my skin, luckily none impaled me. When I peeked between my hands I found the blast had stayed pretty well contained, leaving only a hole big enough for me to shimmy through.

I wiped the sweat from my brow and glanced over at Katie's cell to find her hiding her face in Calls chest.

 _Seriously how does an android have bigger tits than me?!_ I mentally smacked myself. _Not now TK, jeez..._

Calls face pinched in annoyance, "You could've warned us sooner."

"Forethought is not my strong suit," I said absently. Barefoot, I tread carefully through the crystal shards littering the floor like glass just waiting to cut up my bare feet. Assholes! They could've at least given me some type of shoes after taking my boots.

There was a decent sized gap between the junction of the wall and the crystal. The crystal scraped painfully against my ear but I managed to wiggle myself free of the cell in a matter of seconds. I bounded over to the computer station, the main power was down but the backup remained. I could've waited the five minutes for the locks to deactivate but I had a feeling my escorts would be returning soon.

 _You just wanted to use the bloody bomb!_

I hit the switch and released the locking mechanism in April and Katie's cells. The thick wall of crystal began to slide up into the ceiling. Katie didn't waste any time, she was under the crystal before it completely lifted and at April's side in a heartbeat. Call and I were right behind her.

I crouched, running a hand over April's sweating face. Definitely a fever. While Katie tried to rouse the unconscious woman I gave her still form a quick once over. There were no obvious outward signs of trauma which made me suspicious. Worry gnawed at my insides as I checked her throat, finding no discoloration or bruising. Then again there wouldn't be any.

My heart squeezed as I heard Katie begin to talk to her grandmother in gentle assuring tones. "TK's here grandma. She's gonna get us out."

 _Not now Tk. Not now. Just get them out first._

I stood abruptly. "Call I need you to carry April."

She met my eyes from where she crouched on the floor. They managed to convey the same suspicion I felt but I gave her a subtle shake of my head to silence her.

Call pursed her lips but said nothing as she picked April up off the floor in a bridal style grip.

"We need weapons." I moved to the door and continued. "Listen I don't know how much time we've got but very soon every nasty thing they've got locked up in this place will be free to roam and soon after, the power will go out completely."

Once at the door I held up a hand to silence them and waved them to the wall. Maybe it had been the rampant gallop of my heart but I was certain I'd heard something. Instinctively I crouched, waiting for the door to open. If someone shoots at you through a wall or door they keep the gun trained chest level, never even thinking to aim at the floor. So when the door actually opened and the big bruiser with no name stepped in he didn't even see me.

Pumped with adrenaline, I kicked the pulse rifle out of his hand. Caught off guard the guy still reacted ridiculously quick and went for the long blade at the base of his spine. I kicked again, wishing like hell I had my steel toed boots as the ball of my foot connected with his knee. The guy jerked but didn't go down, his dark eyes found me and he moved to grab me.

I rolled to the side, saw the gun in my periphery but knew I wouldn't get to it in time. The Marine was a mass of big hulking muscle but moved fast for a guy his size. If he got me in his grip it was over because I wouldn't be able to out muscle him.

The knife glinted in the light and he twirled at it as if he knew how to use it. Damn. Phillips and Rossey would've been a cakewalk by comparison.

I managed to make brief eye contact with Call and I hoped she saw my eyes dart to Katie. I shuffled back and out his strike only to find him right in front of me the next second. My eyes widened but not because I saw the motion of the blade but because I saw Katie run towards us.

"Katie no!" Call shouted.

The big guy noticed too and recalculated his strike, stopping the deadly arc of his blade to spin and literally smack Katie right out of the air. She yelped and went rolling across the floor. Time seemed to slow down and I moved without thinking. Big guys head jerked in my direction but I gave him no time to react as I punched him right in the throat. He coughed, trying to breathe while he swung at me again. I rolled right between his tall legs, grabbed the other bomb in one smooth motion and slapped it on his back. I'd rolled onto my own back and brought my legs up and just as he began to turn I kicked out with both feet connecting with his big ass, making him stumble forward. On my feet again I leaped at his back, grabbed the tab and propelled myself away as I kicked off his back.

"Heads up!"

I landed close to Katie, smelled the ozone and threw myself over her body. The bomb went off and like before there was a rush of heat that singed my skin but this time it was accompanied by a splash of blood and human gore. Katie groaned and shifted beneath me.

I kissed her forehead, "Katie my dear I love you but please don't be like me. Your grandmother might kill me."

She giggled, brown eyes cracking open. She caught sight of the blood on my face and slowly looked around me as I sat up. I followed her line of sight and winced. Nothing left intact except for his booted feet which laid in the center of the blast. Blood, bone and bigger bits stuck to the walls and ceiling. Katie swallowed and I could tell she was trying not to vomit. Casually I swept away a chunk of brain matter that managed to tangle itself in her hair.

An alarm trilled loudly from outside the door. The locks must've been deactivated. I grabbed Katie's hand, "Time to go."

The corridors were thick with shadows as I stepped out, the emergency lights doing a poor job of illuminating them. It worked in our favor at the moment but it still made me antsy. I took up the position in the front, armed with the pulse rifle. Katie had the dead Marines knife and stayed at my back while Call remained at the rear carrying April. She was the most exposed but Call was an android and could probably handle a few bullets. Maybe. Between Katie and Call though I think Call stood a better chance, so Katie would stay in the middle.

I blinked, eyes scanning both sides of the corridor and realized a problem. A common one that I run into at the worst times. I have zero sense of directionality and couldn't remember which way I'd come from. If I was alone I'd just choose one at random and be done with it but the clock was not on our side.

"Call," I glanced at her from over my shoulder. "Do you have any idea how to get out of here?"

She gave me one of those 'you've got to be joking' kind of looks before inclining her head left. "We're in the off shoot corridors. The main corridor wraps around in a large circle. Eventually, we'll hit the lifts if we follow it around."

"So left then?"

She nodded.

"Alright, everyone stays on the left side. Close knit, stay quiet and alert. And if I tell you to do something you better fucking do it."

Neither of them said anything. Good.

We filed down the hall, backs close to the wall. The long corridor seemed eerily quiet then again everyone was probably scrambling to figure out what was going on and how to prevent a total takeover. Sly Glitch was good and I wish I had a way to communicate with him and tell him about my impromptu plan.

The sound of footfalls. I stopped and held up a closed fist, then a single finger indicating they should wait. Silently I moved up to the corner, lowered myself into a crouch and peeked around. The emergency lights played havoc on my ability to get a good look but I was pretty sure it was Phillips and Rossey racing in our direction. The read out on the rifle's display screen informed me that I had 34 shots. I changed the rate of fire. Going from a spread of three to a single fire.

I slid out in a crouch. Phillips and Rossey were still half way down the corridor. Inhale. Exhale. Hold at half breath. I fired, taking Rossey right between the eyes. He dropped. Phillips had seen me just before I pulled the trigger and tried to zigzag as he raised his gun. I put two in his chest before he got the first shot off. Phillips collapsed to the floor. I stayed trained on him for half a second more just in case but the guy didn't even twitch. Dead. I exhaled completely and rose back up, lowering the gun slightly. It wasn't very heavy but a tired arm equals bad aim. Holding it slightly down at chest level meant I could still draw it fast without tiring myself out. The gun had barely any kick to it and felt good in my grip. However the gunfire had been loud and anyone on this floor would've heard it.

I waved for the others to follow me. Both men had been carrying standard military pulse rifles and Splat pistols. I gave one of each to Katie, slung the extra rifle across my back and tucked the pistol at the small of my back.

"Give me one." Call said.

"Can you juggle a weapon and-"

She put April in a fireman's carry over her shoulder and extended her free hand. I smirked, pulling the strap back over my head and handing her the rifle. Having superhuman strength must be nice.

"Call I need you to describe the kind of power source here."

I felt her eyes on the back of my head as we continued.

"Fusion. Why?"

"Connected to the main computer?"

"It'll be on its own system. Another layer of protection."

Good. I didn't want to just turn the thing off.

"TK?" Call's tone reflected her suspicion. "What are you up to?"

"I aim to blow this place back to hell. Once Katie and April are safely out-"

A group of Marines popped out of a side room, their weapons already up. They'd been waiting for us. I stopped, making sure my body kept Katie covered as I snapped the weapon up.

"Freeze!" One of the four men shouted.

"Does that ever really work?" I said, cheekily. I'm a good shot but there were four guns aimed at me. I might get two shots off before they made swiss cheese out of us.

"I said freeze bitch! Lower your damn weapon and surrender quietly."

The speaker was the second one on the right, standing just a little in front of the rest.

I smiled, "You first."

His aim never wavered and I could see him getting ready to open fire. The lights went completely out and my smile widened.

"Katie! Call! Get down!" I whispered vehemently. The sudden loss of light had left everyone in the corridor momentarily stunned except me. I'd been expecting it. Crouching I flicked on the flashlight secured to the underside of the barrel, the four men in front of us flinched and blinked in surprise. Blinding them. They never even saw the shots coming. The speaker went down first then his buddy immediately to his left. Still stunned by the light the other two blindly opened fire. Their shots whizzed above our heads. The other two went down a second later as Call and I both returned fire.

I stayed crouched for a second longer maker sure none of the men were playing possum. They weren't.

"Take whatever you can carry without hampering your movements," I said getting to my feet. "We're gonna need it."

Other than the occasional guard this level seemed pretty secure. Whatever beasties they kept in this place they weren't on this level but it wouldn't take them long to make their way down here.

"How do I blow the core?" I glanced back at Call. The dark made it hard to see her but I felt her gaze on me.

"That's suicide!"

I laughed, "Anyway to do it without going kamikaze?"

"If you pull the coolants. It'll automatically start a self-destruct countdown. But the access panel requires a retina scan."

 _Bug nuts!_

The lift was an obvious bust with no power but there was an internal maintenance hatch right next to it. We climbed into the IMT and Call sealed it behind us. The tubes were narrow and you had to crawl through them for the most part until you came to a shoot with a ladder going up or down. The Splat pistol would've been easier to hold while climbing in and up the narrow ladder but the Splat pistol didn't have a light.

Our collective breaths echoed through the tubes. Sweat bloomed along my forehead and spine. If anything popped out and said 'boo' in this confined space I wasn't sure there was a damn thing I could do about it.

The light swept over the wall and I noticed the levels inside the shoot were numbered and we'd just passed level 3. Our destination wasn't far but the sound had begun to penetrate the thick walls and the fine hairs along my nap bristled. Gunfire. Lots of it. And the unmistakable shriek of Xenomorphs. Men screamed but I couldn't discern any words.

The ladder broke apart at each level for someone to be able to climb into another hatch. I'd begun locking them from the inside as we passed each one. We were at level 2 now and no sooner had I locked the hatch did something very big slam against it.

"Fuck!" My back hit the opposite wall as my other hand shot out to catch the ladder before I fell. There was an unmistakable shriek from the other side of the hatch along with the piercing, nerve shriveling sound of claws raking metal.

"Move faster!" I growled. Thrusting myself up onto the next rung.

The Xeno on level 2 broke through the hatch just as I wrenched open the hatch for the main level. Sunlight filter in somewhere because I could clearly see all the carnage painting the once neutral tan walls a deep crimson. I jumped out, turned and grabbed Katie hauling her out.

"It's behind me!"

Calls brown eyes stared wide with panic. I leaned back inside over her shoulder as she scurried out and nearly choked on my heart as the Xenomorphs open maw flew upwards towards my face. I fired down into its gaping jaws. It shrieked, yellow blood splashing the walls. I kept firing till the damn thing finally fell, its body thumping against the walls and ladder in its descent.

"Watch out!"

I spun around at Katie's words, breath ragged and gun raised. A black blur smashed into me, it's bony exoskeleton connected painfully with my ribs, sending me rolling across the floor. Katie screamed. Her terror sent a shock of adrenaline coursing through my veins. Wheezing, I rolled up onto the balls of my feet just as Call opened fire on the Xenomorph stalking towards her. My eyes fell on Katie and cold dread sunk its teeth into me as she lay on the ground, unmoving. The Xenomorph lowered its head, making a move to strike. Faster than I thought possible, I found myself in front of the alien and shoved the rifle against its chest, pushing it back. What I wouldn't give for the damn spear right about now.

The Xeno shrieked, pushing against me. Katie's head laid close to our feet. Xenomorphs aren't all that heavy but they're freakishly strong. I couldn't open fire this close to Katie, she'd get drenched in acidic blood.

My eyes caught sight of its tail, I dropped and its tail missed by mere inches. The Xeno had a hold of the gun and the momentum of my fall brought it down with me. I got my feet under it and kicked up with all my strength. The alien was off me but hadn't gone rolling the way I had. More like I just knocked it off balance and royally pissed it off. It opened its maw with a shrill cry. I fired. A single plasma round wouldn't bring it down and it continued to scream as I kept pulling the trigger. It took three plasma rounds to the skull before the thing finally crumpled.

I searched for Call as I rolled back up, crouched on my haunches. I found her picking April up off the ground. The Xeno that attacked her laid dead further down the corridor. Quickly I scanned for others but at this moment we were blessedly alone. Keeping an eye on my surroundings I touched Katie's neck with two fingers. A pulse. Alive but unconscious. Great.

My eyes flicked to the read-out screen on the gun and I blinked. I was left with 14 shots. I had one spare magazine and the Splat pistol which held 12 shots in its sphere-shaped cylinder. The screams and gunfire echoed through the corridor. The real action was in the hangar, where a lot of the Marines had been when I entered. We were about to run into some serious problems.

"Is she okay?"

I nodded stiffly. Blowing out a breath I shouldered the rifle, grabbed Katie's upper arms and slung her over the other. Mirroring Call's fireman carry, although she made it appear a lot easier. Stupid androids and their stupid superior strength. Was I just doomed to be outclassed by everyone?!

Schooling my features, I hid the discomfort. Katie wasn't all that heavy but her weight would hinder me and wear me down quickly. I slid the pistol free because I couldn't balance her dead weight and the rifle.

 _Maybe I should consider augmentation?_

Augmented humans were a rare thing and usually led a seedy lifestyle. The ones I've personally dealt were mercs, bounty hunters, and cutters, each with their own flavor of augmentation. But enhanced strength is a common one. One that would benefit me really well right about now as I struggled to carry a child who weighed roughly 90lbs.

 _Just get them out! Claire should be set up by now._

The fighting grew louder as we neared. Sweat trekked a path along my spine, causing my clothes to cling uncomfortably. Without the main power, the upper levels were basically an oven.

My hand jerked up faster before my eyes even registered the movement of a man rushing around the corner. Blood ran freely from a gaping wound down his face. He didn't even notice us and I barely had time to take in the black hissing blur as it took the man down. The man's scream turned into a gurgle as the alien's inner jaws flashed out and penetrated his skull. Two more men in lab coats came running around the corner, dodging the fallen man. They saw us, eyes widening but three more aliens spilled into the corridor, intent on their prey.

"Run!" I hissed.

More and more people, mostly men and women in lab coats with no weapons fled past us. Thinking they would be safer in the compound than outside. Made me wonder briefly why they would come to such a foolish conclusion.

"TK!"

I turned. Saw Call on the ground over April. A Xeno had caused them to go sprawling on the floor. It turned and hissed, tail lashing wildly. Call screamed as its barbed tail plunged into her thigh.

 _So androids do feel pain- not now TK!_

Two splat shots smacked into the aliens dome before it could strike again. It reared back, confused at first I think, then it screamed in agony as the Splat rounds began to eat through its near perfect defense. The corrosion wasn't as detrimental as a Xeno's acidic blood but it probably still hurt like a son of a bitch. Face twisted in rage and pain, Call fired her pulse rifle and the plasma rounds ripped into the alien's chest. It collapsed. The floor sizzled and sent up a stomach-churning stench as its blood ate through it.

My eyes fell on Calls leg. The white milky substance that substituted for blood flowed freely down her calf, pooling around her feet. Call seemed to be in pain but she gave me a nod when she noticed my worried expression. Limping, she grabbed April and said, "Let's go."

No argument here. We trampled over the dead and dying. Shooting anything that moved and not giving a damn what it was. I spared no sympathy for anyone who willingly worked in this place. In my mind, they were worse than the Xenomorphs because you sure as hell don't see the aliens fucking each other over for profit.

A Xeno's shriek brought my gaze up and like a horror movie I watched as three of the creatures loped towards us on the fucking ceiling. Kind of cool to see them upside down, giving gravity a big fuck you but utterly terrifying when you're the target. More movement caught my attention, this time from the adjacent hallway. The mass of aliens was a wall of darkness, full of gnashing teeth and razor sharp claws. I bumped into something. Found it was Call. We were back to back and surrounded by Xenomorphs. Dozens of them.

 _Dead end.._

The Xeno's knew we were trapped and slowed their paced. Stalking behavior. Bodies lowered. Tails lashing.

"You wouldn't happen to have any more surprises would you?" Call hedged. The half-hearted attempt at a joke fell flat with the fear choking her voice.

"No." My eyes flicked from one gaping maw to the next. Their anticipation almost palpable. "They've eaten already. They want us for gestation of their young. Meaning they want us alive."

Which meant there was a queen nearby.

 _Joy..._

"Is that suppose to make me feel better?"

I snorted, "You're an android. They'll just kill you."

"Thanks." She spat.

"Take out as many as you can."

Call didn't need any prompting. She'd already begun firing before the sentence left my mouth. The Xeno's screamed and started rushing us. To many filled the hall, congesting it, working against themselves as they tried to take us. But there was just too many to kill.

Their claw tipped oddly humanoid hands began pawing at me from all sides. Keeping them all in sight was impossible. I felt the jerk of Katie's body as they tried to rip her from me. I growled, pivoting and shooting one at almost point blank range. Stray flecks of acid blood burned along my forearm. The pain so intense I almost dropped Katie trying to wipe it off. Tears of pain and rage slipped down my face. I've seen the corrosive blood of a Xeno take a man's limb clean off. I'd only got a few drops but it felt like it was eating into the bone. My hands trembled. The gun dropped. I dropped. Katie was pulled from me.

"No!"

I tried to move but couldn't see past the wall of slithering black in front of my eyes. So many hands touched me. Claws raking along my skin. Call screamed and I could still hear the sound of her gun. A Xenomorph crouched above me, saliva dripping onto my face as it exposed its silvery teeth.

A smile crested my mouth, accompanied by an insane giggle.

"Bitch."

It shrieked in my face. Assaulting me with spittle and foul breath. My good hand passed over the butt of the discarded weapon. I gripped it, bared my teeth at the Xeno above me and fired the rest of the clip under its jaw. The splat rounds globbed together and immediately went to work at eating away at the less armored flesh of the Xeno's throat. It shrieked and moved off only to be replaced by two more. Three more. Four more. I struggled as they began to pick me up.

In my mind's eye, I could see myself cocooned in their lair. A baby alien chewing its way through the inside of my chest, breaking free in an impressive spray of bone and gore.

I struggled harder. Kicking and screaming.

"Not prey!" I yanked an arm free and tried to peel their clawed digits off me. "Damn it!"

A cry rose up above the rest. A familiar sound that could've been the chorus of a thousand angels in that moment. You know if angels looked more like demonic wraiths.

He hadn't listened to me and for once I was so fucking glad he didn't.

"Zee!"

The roiling bodies above me became frenzied. Agitated. Snarls and guttural sounds raised the hackles along my neck and spine. Tearing. Ripping. Cries of rage and pain as Zee taught them what savagery truly was.

Something dropped on my chest. The spear. I grabbed it, searching the throngs of obsidian bodies for one imparticular. I caught a glimpse of Zee and felt his attention on me for a fraction of a second before he returned to the fight. Zee had brought me the spear. I smirked.

A hand grabbed my shoulder. Call. She wrenched me back up on my feet, her face dripping long thin lines of milky fluid. My eyes fell on April, tucked beneath the androids arm.

"Katie!" Eyes wide, I spun around and released the full length of the spear. The aliens were mostly preoccupied with Zee but a few still came for me and Call. Eyes searching, I fought my way through. Being small made it easier to evade their grasps. Of course, it helped that there were so many jarring bodies that one would grab me only to lose its grip when another ran into it.

I drove my spear into the head of one as it attempted to snatch April from Call. Face pinched in anger the android moved away with inhuman speed and killed another, shooting it right out of the air.

"Katie!" I spotted the alien holding her, trying to flee the corridor to take the unconscious girl to their lair. My foot came into contact with something heavy, quickly I crouched and scooped up the plasma rifle. No way could I shoot the thing and risk showering her in acid blood or worse hit her by mistake.

"Zee!" I cried. There were just too many of them for me to fight through.

The big Xeno shrieked, head snapping in my direction. His tail glinted in the light, drenched in the yellow blood of his enemies. Without even looking that tail ripped through the skull of one behind him and flicked it away as if he were swatting a fly.

"Get the girl!" I pointed to Katie and the retreating alien as it broke free and ran down the opposite corridor. Zee cocked his head as if he didn't understand. "Save the girl!"

He showed his teeth. Zee didn't want to leave me.

"Save the girl, Zee!" I screamed, firing the plasma rifle at the aliens converging on us.

With an ear piercing cry the big Xeno tore through the group in his path. Disappearing from my sight completely.

There were roughly a dozen or so Xenomorphs left in the corridor with us, while the others pursued Zee. Swallowing I took a step back, dropped the now empty plasma rifle and flipped the spear around, keeping its dual blades in front. Xenomorphs had no eyes but their collective gazes fell on Call and I. Their rage stung like a thousand bees along my skin. Taking us alive was no longer their priority.

"How many shots Call?"

"Twelve."

The fear was very real now but fear had always done odd things to me. A small thrill of excitement drew a laugh from me and I felt Call stiffen at the sound. Coasting on an adrenaline high, I charged right into the fray, teeth bared as if I myself were an animal.

Each pulse pounding moment seemed to pass in slow motion. The razor edge of a tail slashed at my leg, drawing blood and a cry of pain. I ignored it and drove the spear into the alien's chest. A plasma blast zipped by my head, its target another alien behind the one I was fighting against.

The speared creature hissed angrily and gripped the spear, attempting to jerk it from my hold. I thumbed the catch, collapsing the spear and wrenching it free of the alien's chest and grasp. In my periphery I barely caught sight of the sloping skull as it rammed into my chest, sending me flying back. I connect with Call and we went down in a tangle of limbs. They were on us in a heartbeat. I was yanked up by the throat, its breath caressed my face as it let out a long low hiss. Death was coming for me.

 _Can't die!_

I thumbed the catch and the spear extended, the force strong enough to bury itself between the aliens protruding ribs. Surprised, the Xeno shrieked and dropped me. I fell on my knees but threw myself backwards as its tail swept dangerously close to my face. It shook itself, dislodging the dual blade. It came for me again but suddenly the Xenomorph stopped. Its posture changed entirely as it cocked its head up. My gaze darted around and I found them all doing the same thing. Sensing or hearing something we could not. Like a switch being thrown they became frenzied once more, filling the corridor with their high pitched cries.

The Xenomorphs didn't even give us a backward glance as they abruptly raced out of the corridor. Stunning Call and I as we suddenly found ourselves eerily alone. We glanced at one another, afraid to take a breath. Our heads snapped in the direction of the main hangar as a cry from a much bigger creature sent my heart into feverish hummingbird pace. There was only one thing that could force a pack of Xenomorphs to abandon their prey.

"Please tell me we're not following them?" Call asked, voice breathy and petrified.

"Only way out," I breathed.

Call stood and picked up April from the floor. The android froze as her eyes caught sight of something behind me. But I already knew who it was. I glanced behind me and breathed a sigh of relief even as I struggled to get to my feet. Zee had appeared from thin air, carrying Katie with a brow raising amount of care. Not what I had expected. I knew he would bring the girl back but seeing her draped in his arms as if she were a porcelain doll was definitely odd. The behavior warranted further investigation but not now.

The wound in my left leg made it hard to balance but I managed with the spear. Blood soaked the pant leg, making it stick and earning me a raised brow from Call. I waved off the concern.

"Give her to me, Zee."

The big Xeno took a step towards me then hesitated. His head inclined towards the girl and I barely caught the subtle way his arms flexed. He didn't want to seem to let her go.

 _Interesting._

"Never mind. We need to get Katie and April out of here-"

There was a loud boom and the floor shook dangerously beneath our feet. Call and I looked at one another.

"Why the hell are they firing the tank?" Call asked warily, her hands white-knuckling the rifle in a death grip.

 _The same reason the Xenomorphs left us..._

My gaze darted back to Zee and I knew he felt it too.

"Do not engage." I said briskly. Grabbing another discarded rifle off the floor. It had 12 rounds remaining. "If you can help it."

* * *

 **A/N:** **Woohoo! Two updates in a row again. ;)**

 **It's my way of saying thank you to all the reviews, favorites and follows.**

 **Rambles happily: Is everyone excited about the new Predator movie?! Woohoo! 2018 though. Ugh I might die waiting that long! New Alien and Prometheus movies too! The fan base and story base for Predator and Aliens is going to sky rocked in the next year or so.**

 **P.S. sorry for mistakes! Hope everyone enjoyed. Till next time.**


	12. Chapter 12

**This is Gonna Hurt**

The sight before me was as spectacular as it was terrifying. Upon entering the hangar our collective gazes settled on the Xenomorph Queen. She stood taller than the damaged Queen the Predator and I faced by a good five feet, maybe more. Taller than any Queen on record and I'm guessing a product of Weyland-Yutani experimentation. Her carapace gleamed oily black and her brain case was protected by a magnificent crest. Standing on her hind legs that crown almost scraped the ceiling as she batted Marines aside like plastic toy soldiers.

The M40 heavy tank lay on its side, its armor plating peeled open similar to a banana. Blood coated it's ruined metal frame, the Queen had clearly gotten the prize on the inside and painted the outer hull with their entrails.

"Mommy's very angry," I whispered.

Call's eyes stared unblinkingly at the huge Queen. "Let's get out of here before that thing notices us."

The Queen seemed rather preoccupied with the Marines, along with her brood. Yellow blood dripped from where a secondary arm had been blown off. Queen's have two sets of arms. The main set is longer, used for fighting and running on all fours but Queens could run on their hind legs if they chose. The secondary smaller set was akin to a theropod, T-Rex arms but by no means any less dangerous.

Zee moved up beside me and hissed, drawing my gaze away from the bloody battle. He hissed again, head inclined downward in Katie's direction.

"Right."

We moved along the wall, as far from the fight as possible. Carefully we picked our way through the carnage and hid behind anything that would shield us. Zee stayed between me and the wall. Protecting Katie had become his primary job which pleased me but it also made me rather curious. A niggling thought that I could poke at later. The big Xeno was a hell of a lot stronger than I was anyway. Call followed behind carrying April in a fireman's hold over her shoulder.

My right arm shook and I clenched the spear's shaft tighter. The Xeno blood had eaten away several layers of skin and muscle but thankfully not completely through it. It hurt and bled profusely, causing my fingers to become slick. I wiped my hands on my tank but it didn't really help. As bad as the damage was though it could've definitely been worse. I think some of the acid blood got wiped off by all the Xeno's grabbing at me in the corridor. I could've very easily lost the full use of my arm or even the limb itself if I'd been splashed with even a drop more.

A Marine's body hit the wall in front of us, surprising the hell out of me. The large hangar door yawned open a few yards away but between us and the open desert were several more Marines and Xenomorphs. I stepped over the dead man then stopped, noticing his jacket. A pilot.

My eyes flicked up and around, finally spotting Avery Dumont and his human meat shield of Marines. They must have been heading up to the Hornet before the pilot got killed. I had no doubt that at least one of those Marines with him could fly the Hornet which meant Dumont would escape. Along with the male Xenomorph genetic coding.

 _Fuck well, that hampers my plans!_

Actually, it didn't. It just meant I had to work faster.

"Zee."

The big Xeno's sloping head swiveled in my direction.

"Give me Katie."

He hissed and lashed his tail in annoyance.

"Zee I need you." I pointed at Dumont. "Bring him to me. He worked with Dr. Isles."

That got his attention. Zee's head snapped in Dumont's direction and flashed his teeth. He let me take Katie and disappeared in a blur.

Katie moaned in my arms and I knelt down behind a crate, assessing her. A Xenomorph appeared from the other side of the metal crate but Call had my back and shot the thing dead before it even shrieked. Her reaction time faster than any well-trained human.

"We can't linger here." Call said.

"I gotcha Katie." I picked her up and it was awkward while holding the spear and trying to keep weight off my damaged arm. We made our way closer to the outside. Katie was beginning to regain consciousness but she wouldn't be able to move on her own for awhile.

"Stop!" A Marine shouted as he ran towards us.

 _Really dude. You're worried about us?!_

He never got close. A Xenomorph pounced on his back, followed by two others. The guy was dead before he hit the ground. The Xeno's noticed us and stepped over their kill, stalking forward. One of the Xeno's heads jerked at the same time yellow blood sprayed from a hole in the side of its skull. It dropped. In rapid succession, before the other two understood what was happening they also jerked as the armor piercing rounds blew identical holes in their skulls. They fell.

My head snapped towards the desert and I smiled, saluting Claire even though I couldn't see her in the dark. The woman knew her way around many other weapons besides tanks. Claire had gotten into position just in the nick of time with a PB&J Longbow, a long range sniper with bloom rounds. It got its name by liquefying the brains or innards of its target, turning them into a soupy-jelly mess.

In my minds eye, I could see her laying in the bed of the truck with the sniper rifle, rolling her icy blue orbs as I blew a kiss in her direction.

"One of your's?" Call asked.

"Yup." Kneeling I set Katie down gingerly. "She'll cover you guys from here."

"What about you? You're not going back in there are you? That's crazy TK!"

I ran a hand over Katie's forehead, sweeping the stray brown hairs away. Before I could respond a scream drew both of our gazes to the big Xeno approaching, dragging a very bloody Dumont in his teeth by the shoulder. Zee practically spat the man at my feet, stepped over him and chuffed Katie's hair. The girl groaned, eyes flicking open. Zee nudged her face and instantly terror filled her eyes making them grow wide as saucers.

I touched her cheek and she flinched, brown eyes jerking to me. "It's okay Katie." I nodded at Zee. "He's a friend. He won't hurt you."

Her eyes slowly returned to the big Xenomorph crouched over her. Tears leaked from her eyes but she swallowed hard and tried not to scream as he continued to chuff at her. I didn't blame her for being afraid. However, she really had nothing to fear not as far as Zee was concerned anyway.

Zee... he seemed...

Dumont's hand snapped out and gripped my wrist. My attention fell on him and I stared at him coldly as he choked on his own blood, eyes wide with fear. I peeled his fingers off and addressed Call as I searched him.

"Call. You and Zee get Katie and April out of here. Claire's got you guys covered."

Zee's head snapped in my direction with a disapproving hiss.

"Can't be help," I smiled and fished out the pendant from Dumont's pocket. He shook his head, tried to speak but coughed up blood. My eyes examined the pendant. So small yet its contents meant nothing short of death for so many. Adjusting the fine chain, I secured the pendant back around my neck.

"Don't be stupid TK!"

I glanced up at Call. "This place has to be destroyed. We can't let that Queen go free. Not with such a densely populated area so close by. Besides," my eyes met Dumont's, "there are other things here that should never surface."

Zee hissed and I looked at him. "Get Katie out of here."

His head cocked to the side.

"Go now!" I growled. As if to emphasize my point an explosion rocked the Earth and a wave of heat blasted us. Zee crouched lower, his body completely covering Katie's. A fire raged on the roof of the building and it appeared as though someone had tried to escape in the Hornet and crashed.

Zee hissed in disapproval but picked Katie up while giving me a clear view of his teeth as he bared them at me. He wasn't happy. He didn't want to leave me but a bigger part of him wanted to protect Katie more. Katie yelped as he lifted her and curled up into a ball.

Zee spared me a final parting chuff before taking off into the desert. He didn't give a shit about Call or April but Claire would ghost anyone who got too close to them. Hopefully. The battle seemed contained to this area and the Xenomorphs were more preoccupied with the Marines shooting at their Queen.

"Go Call." I said, not bothering to meet her glare. My eyes were only for Dumont at the moment.

"Don't die." With that, she ran after Zee and into the dusk.

Dumont stared up at me, hate and fear glittering in his eyes. He felt his death. Knew it was coming. I could end it now but this man deserved to suffer. Taking a quick look around I felt relatively secure behind the crates and set the spear next to my foot and pressed the other into his chest. His eyes bugged out, face turning an ugly shade of red as I leaned forward. I touched his face and he tried to wrench away but I gripped his hair and held him still.

"This is gonna hurt," I whispered, smiling coldly. "But don't worry it's for the good of the remaining human race."

His eyes darted around in desperation as I pressed my thumb under his right eye and pushed. He tried to close them but I stabbed my pointer finger beside the tear duct. With a gurgled scream he spasmed beneath me, hands trying to grab at me. Annoyed I pulled the knife I'd taken from Katie and slammed it through his open palm, driving it down into the hard earth. Again he screamed but the fight was leaving him. This man had been terrifying not so long ago now he lay beneath me, a sniveling mess, pleading with his eyes to show mercy. I gave him none and went back to work. My finger slid behind his eyeball with a wet squelching-sucking sound. Blood made my fingers slip and I lost my grip the first time.

Captured under my thumb and between my forefinger I gave the delicate organ a gentle twist, breaking the connection behind the eye. The small organ popped free from the socket with a wet slurp, the optic nerve still attached. Dumont's body went limp, barely breathing. Death cutting the ties to this world.

My free hand gripped the spear and I stood, stepping over Dumont and hoping the devil skull fucked him through the empty socket. I slid the small organ down the top of my tank and nestled it in the bra and between my breasts. The thing was still warm and wet but I needed my hands free to fight. Eyeballs dry out quickly and can easily be popped, I needed to find the core and fast. If the iris clouded over the retina scan wouldn't work for shit.

The Xenomorph Queen and her brood made a real mess of the hangar and the fight was dying. Most of the Marines lay dead or were being dragged back underground to be cocooned for gestation. A few still fought but it was certain defeat.

A Xenomorph made a move for me but Claire shot it dead. It's body rolled to a stop at my feet, attracting the attention of other Xeno's. I still had a pulse rifle but clasped the spear instead. It's weight a familiar, solid comfort in my shaky grip.

"Bring it bitches." A thrill of excitement ran through me, dosing me with adrenaline. Now that Katie and April were out of danger I felt a bit like my old self. Don't get me wrong I was afraid but there was something about besting these creatures that always left me feeling... powerful.

I spun the spear in my hands, the right one was weak and still hurt like crazy but the adrenaline began to act as a kind of morphine. Without breaking stride I dodged a Xeno from my left, rolled under an abandoned vehicle and out the other side. It shrieked, nails raking the hood of the vehicle as it jumped up to come after me. The spear moved as an extension of myself as I spun and jerked to the side, smacking the creature first in the side of the skull then plunging the dual blades through the brain case. I collapsed the spear to wrench it free of the tough hide of the dead alien at the same time pivoting and extending it once more in the chest of another. The alien shrieked, still reaching for me even as it impaled itself further. Xenomorphs are incredibly strong and the creature shoved me back, spear and all. My back hit something metal and riveted making me grunt in pain. The alien, still impaled continued to try and rip my face off. Its tail came up and stabbed at my head, cutting my cheek as I threw myself to the side. My right hand lost its grip on the spear, numbness spreading down to my fingers. The acid must've caused more damage than I initially thought. The back end of the spear was propped against the cement floor of the hangar, anchoring it and keeping the aliens claws just out of reach of my face.

 _Come on!_

I mentally willed my right hand to grab the pulse rifle. It's weight registered in my grip but it didn't feel solid. Sweat trekked down my face, stinging my wounded cheek and eyes. With a cry of desperation, I shoved at the alien's chest with both feet. It reared back, almost sliding free of the spear but I knew it would strike again. A three count spread fired from the rifle, hitting the alien's neck and skimming the brain case. A Xenomorphs exoskeleton is the ultimate piece of armor but there's always a weak spot. For a Xeno that spot was where the neck connected with the skull just under the jaw. Their armor is more flexible there. Thinner. Weaker. The sweet spot. It's head lulled to the side, hanging by scraps of meat. The sizzle and smell of burning material had me rolling to the side and away. I sat up, felt the burn on my legs and ripped the left leg of my jeans off and tossed them. I had contact burns but I'd gotten the acid splattered material off in time.

A Xenomorph cry brought my gaze up in a hurry. I saw the alien, it was mid-air. My heart stopped. The spear was still lodged in the dead alien to the right. No way could I lift the gun in time- its body jerked and it flopped to the ground in a heap. A big hole in the side of its skull. Silently I thanked Claire for being such a fucking badass and I would never again assume someone's age made them any less.

I got to my feet, grabbed the spear and collapsed it in order to free it. I swung it out beside me, releasing it once again and dislodging the corrosive blood from its shaft and blades.

Another Xenomorph appeared before me, angry and tail lashing. Swallowing I braced myself for the attack. It didn't come. The Queen's shrill cry of agony rose up over the din and the Xenomorph let me go. Compelled to protect its matriarch. I spared a glance in her direction, noticing a group of five men cornering her with flame throwers. The drones all cried out in rage, forgetting what they were doing to go and aid her, giving me a clear shot to the door I'd entered through earlier.

Breath ragged I managed to get the strap of the pulse rifle over my shoulder, resting the gun at my side. I sprinted towards the opening, lungs burning from not only the exertion but the smoke as well. The swell of heat and acrid smoke stung my eyes making them water. Staying close to the wall and away from the Queen made it easy enough to get back inside. The lights were still out and the sun had completely set. I flicked the flashlight on the one mounted to the underside of the pulse rifle and began rifling through dead Marines for other sources of light. The core room would have its own source of power but getting there in pitch black was a terrifying thought. Hopefully, I'd find it and not get lost in the maze-like building.

"Damn." A quick search yielded no flashlights or even pen lights. I collapsed the spear, took the strap off another gun covered in Xeno slime -nasty!- and secured it to my back. I'd rather use the spear over the gun any day but the gun had a source of light and the dark scared me more than the twenty-five foot Queen in the hangar.

With my right arm damaged holding the gun was hell. It was heavier than the spear and my arm shook, the pain coming back ten fold. I breathed through my nose, trying to control it but it hurt more than the time a Xeno raked its claws down my back.

The readout screen on the gun gave off a soft blue glow and the display flashed 6 rounds at me. Hopefully, all the beasties were outside or otherwise occupied because I might as well hang a neon sign above my head that shouted 'Easy Target Right Here!'.

My feet constantly tripped over bodies as I trudged deeper into the pitch black. I was making my way back to the IMT's. The tubes were clearly marked on the inside so even a directionless twit like me could find her way around. Plus the tubes offered more security than being out in the halls. Of course, if an alien did track me through the tunnels I'd be a sitting duck in the confined space.

 _Hmm choices... choices..._

I found the hatch we'd climbed out of earlier and aimed the flashlight down then up, making sure nothing waited inside. It looked clear but I knew better than to assume so. Taking a deep breath I climbed in and shut the hatch firmly and locked it from the inside. I sat there for a second, listening to the rampant beat of my heart but after a moment when nothing sank its teeth in me I began my descent.

Some of the rungs of the ladder had been eaten through by Xeno blood making each blind step as heart pounding as the next. I bit back a gag reflex as my hands and bare toes came into contact with Xenomorph secretions. These aliens drooled worse than a Saint Bernard. Their nests are built with these secretions, the same way a bee or termite builds its home using its spit. It hardens and traps heat, making it a suitable habitat for these creatures. Xenomorphs are partial to heat but they can live in the harshest environments, even the vacuum of space. A rather frightening thought that one. It would only take the survival of one facehugger or even a gestating alien inside someone's chest to decimate an entire planet.

The light passed over a level marker, indicating I was on level six. Just how deep did this place go?

My hands were coming into contact with more and more Xeno slime.

 _Well, at least I'm getting close to something!_

I imagined the core gave off a lot of heat, thus the reason for the coolant. So it made perfect sense that they chose the lower levels to build a Hive. Xenomorphs can construct a nest very quickly and they had ample food and human incubators to do it too. The Queen had probably been housed in the upper levels while her eggs and drones were kept in the lower levels. Not that keeping them separate had helped in the end.

 _Woohoo come on fate just keep dumping your shit on me!_

My feet touched solid ground and slowly I turned and found the hatch with a lock on it. Scrolled across the hatch in big-bold-black letters it read, 'Warning: Restricted Access. Level 9. Core Room.'

The locks blue screen was lit up, feeding off the core's power supply. The little black dome above it was the retina scanner. I pulled Dumont's eyeball from my shirt, grimaced as I noticed its shriveling state and held it up to the scanner. A thin blue beam of light fanned over the retina. The scan took only a second, the lock slid back and the door opened a crack with a wash of steaming air and eerie yellow light.

 _And this is the part in the movie where the dumb blonde pushes the door open..._

I pushed the door open.

 _... and a clawed hand reaches through and grabs her!_

Nothing grabbed me and I blew out the breath I held. I turned the flashlight off. The yellow lighting ran along the top of the corridor giving everything a very sickly hue. Including me. Although that could be from blood loss.

The Xenomorphs had begun transforming this area into a nest but hadn't gotten very far with it. A few Marines were already cocooned to the walls, eggs sat in front of them. Some empty, some not. Gestation periods seem to vary from person to person and species to species. I've never quite nailed down the time. The host has no idea he or she's been impregnated until it's too late and the baby alien chews its way out of you.

A shiver ran through me at the thought. Facehuggers are the worst dates ever. The victim is quite literally raped. Facehuggers are tenacious and strong. It wraps itself around the victim's face, releasing a chemical compound strong enough to knock out a bull elephant then forces a tubular structure much like a male penis down the victims throat to plant the embryo in the victim's chest cavity. Once the embryos comfy inside it's willing or unwilling host the facehugger dies. People who emerge from unconsciousness feel as though they've been roofied and can't remember squat keeping them from trying to have the baby alien removed. Charming little fucks, neh?

 _And to think some humans worship these aliens as gods... and people think I'm the insane one!_

Carefully I made my way through the dozen or so eggs, glad the Queen and her brood were being kept busy. My foot came into contact with something metallic and it skipped across the floor making a scraping sound that shot my hackles up. I held my breath, waiting for something to pounce. Nothing did and I exhaled.

The cause of the noise was a fresh magazine for a plasma rifle.

 _Freebie!_

I bent over and picked it up. The egg right in front of my nose was empty and I looked up to find a Marine hanging in a thick cocoon, face pinched as he fought to regain consciousness. My heart thumped in pity. He was just a kid. No more than eighteen. Probably joined the Corps right after high school in the hopes of being some badass who saves the planet. Diluted dreams.

A dead facehugger lay crumpled like a spider on its back just below the kids dangling feet. I closed my eyes. The kid was already dead his brain just hadn't caught up yet.

He was blonde, with green eyes that even in this harsh lighting shown brilliantly. The kid still had baby round cheeks making him look even younger and my heart beat in pain as those green eyes slowly focused on me.

How long did he have until that thing chewed and clawed its way out of his chest? I didn't know. What I did know is that the gestation seems to speed up if the baby senses it's in danger, bursting forth prematurely if threatened.

"What happened?"

Again my heart ached at the sound of his voice. Forget eighteen this kid so lied about his age. He had to be sixteen.

His blonde brows furrowed, eying me warily. "Who are you?" He looked around and fear paled his face. "What's going on?!" He struggled in desperation.

"TK."

His eyes jerked to me.

"My name's TK. What's yours?"

He swallowed, tears shimmering in his eyes. I think he understood where he was and maybe even what was going on. The Corps educated their Marines on these aliens to the best of their ability. Chances are this kid has at the very least seen photos of a nest and knew what happened if you were brought there.

His voice shook, "Epps. Aaron Epps." He blinked away the tears, arms still flexing as he tried to move them. "It's inside me isn't it?" He closed his eyes tight, "They told us what would happen if we were ever captured alive." His eyes opened and held mine, "I'm going to die aren't I?"

Unaware I'd even moved, I reached out and caressed his cheek. He leaned into the touch. If he'd been another Marine I might've just moved on, showing zero compassion but a kid? It tugged at something deep inside of me making me want to protect him. The instinct to protect our young is ingrained and hard to ignore. He wasn't mine but I felt compelled to help him. Even if it just meant ending the suffering.

"I'm sorry Aaron," I whispered quietly. I touched my forehead to his, the contact comforted him. Aaron closed his eyes and breathed deep, trying to remain strong even though I could see he wanted to cry. It was stupid to just stand there with the fight waning up above but he needed this. I needed this. It grounded me in a way I haven't felt for a very long time. Making me feel more human. I didn't know this kid and I didn't owe him a damn thing yet I felt the icy fingers of revenge wrap around my heart. I would make them all pay.

The boy jerked and I jumped back. His eyes flew wide, the veins and muscles in his neck bulged as a pained scream tore from his lips. The baby alien must've sensed danger. Aaron cried out again and my breath caught. I lifted the gun and shot Aaron in the head, the plasma round made a golfball size hole in his face, splattering the wall behind him with bone and brain matter. His head fell limp and drooped against his chest. His chest jerked, the baby alien knew it had to get out. Screaming I unloaded the remaining shots into his chest, completely annihilating it. The gun clicked empty. I ejected the empty magazine and slammed the full one home.

"Sorry kid."

Face set in determination I walked away. Shooting a facehugger as it began to emerge from an egg in my path.

"Fuck this shit. You're all dead!"

* * *

 **Unknown POV**

Two hunters, twins, in fact, a very rare occurrence among the Yautja species watched a recording with excited interest. In this recording, they found promising prey. A kiande amedha unlike any they've faced before. Another recording popped up on the screen and the Yautja brothers looked on with interest as they watched a small ooman female kill a kiande amendha. She moved with the swift-footedness and the proficiency of any hunter. Prized ooman trophies were hard to come by and stirred the two up with the promise of a good hunt. The brothers never cared to wonder why someone had sent these recordings to them. All that was on their minds as they keyed in the supplied coordinates was where to display the th'syras.

* * *

 **A/N:** **ahahahahahaha! (rubs hands together while laughing maniacally) I am having so much fun I don't even know what to do with myself! TK seriously wrote the last two or three chapters. I'm already onto the next! Not a double update sorry. Please forgive me! Reviews my loves! Please, and thank you! A lot of reviewers commented on my characters and I'm so pleased that they draw you into the story and excite you guys!**

 **Kiande Amenda: Hard meat**

 **Th'syra: Skull**

 **Ooman: Human**

 **Kiande amedha: Hard meat**

 **P.S. You have all been a delight and your comments bring me great joy. Thanks for all reviews, favs and follows. Sorry for any mistakes.**


	13. Chapter 13

**My Fight**

The core glowed an ethereal blue, it's light danced over every surface in a hypnotic rhythm. Drawn like a moth to a flame I edge closer, leaning over the security rail and hovered a hand close enough to feel its scorching heat.

"Beautiful," I murmured. Humans were capable of creating such wondrous things. Yet instead of using this technology to light a city and make life better for those left on Earth its purpose was to power a lab that housed the very creatures who consumed it. The humans that remained here scratched out their lives using old relics, such as the decaying truck I drove or the .45 revolver, meanwhile the military and off world colonies used highly advanced weaponry and transportation. Weyland-Yutani had the ability and the technology to save the remaining few but instead they worked on lining their wallets. They claim to want to better our future by making the species stronger. Mother nature was taking to long they said. So they were attempting to speed up evolution.

 _"A human hybrid..."_

I shook my head. Dr. Isles and the rest of the Company were quite literally insane.

Turning away from the core I began searching for the control panel. The room was circular with the core in its center and I found the panel just on the other side. I tapped the screen and it blinked to life. A round metal door slid open beside the screen and a black sphere rose up out of the hole. I grabbed Dumont's eyeball out of my shirt, making a mental note to be really grossed out about this later and palmed the shriveling organ.

A frown crossed my lips as I stared blankly at the dimming iris. Even if I destroyed this place it was only one and there were plenty others. Yes, I would kill the Queen and hopefully destroy any data pertaining to male Xenomorphs but it wouldn't stop there. Cut off the limb and two more will sprout in its place. I might die here today and what will I have accomplished? Didn't feel like anything. There will always be people like Dumont and Dr. Isles.

 _They will never stop hunting me..._

Little blue beams of light swept over the retina.

"Welcome, Dr. Dumont." A female automated voice said.

I dropped the eyeball and rubbed my hand on my pant leg absently.

The flat metal surface of the panel opened at the invisible seam in its center. The two metal slats moved aside and four coolants glowed yellow, each locked into place. I wrapped my fingers around the first handle and gave it a sharp twist. The little prongs holding it in place popped open and I pulled the twelve-inch cylinder out.

"Warning. The removal of the coolants will start an automatic self-destruct countdown. There is only a five-minute window to reverse the self-destruct sequence." The female computerized voice advised.

Red hazard lights began to flash, accompanied by a loud alarm.

 _Don't gotta tell me twice._

As quickly as I could I released the other three coolants and the low hum of the core grew steadily louder, growing brighter and hotter every second.

"Warning. Automatic self-destruct sequence will begin in T minus three minutes." The computer warned. Once the process could no longer be reversed I'd probably have another five-minute countdown till the whole place went kablooey. Probably. At least that's how the movies go and the movies are never wrong. Right? Right.

 _Time to go TK! Let's not find out what extra crispy feels like!_

I spun around, took two steps then turned back towards the core. My fingers gripped the familiar pendant, thumb rubbing the spine and tail of the Xenomorph. It was the last piece of my mother but keeping it gave someone else the chance to get their greedy paws on it. Being caught with or without it were both equally terrifying.

The already broken clasp gave with a swift tug and I tossed it over the rail. It clattered against the metal housing next to the core, a sound that echoed in my ears as I ran for the corridor.

"Warning. Automatic self-destruct sequence will begin in T minus one minute."

"I got it!" I yelled.

 _Move your ass like you have one and everyone wants a piece of it!_

I ran through the corridor, hoping my inner monolog would blow its own brains out before I did. When facing death I can't seem to respond the proper way. You know screaming and crying. Wishing I'd gotten laid at least once in my life with someone I loved and not out of the necessity to survive before an untimely demise but no. Instead, I'm stuck with some British twat in my head cheering me on. I've never even met someone with a British accent so where the hell did I pick it up from?!

I came upon the corridor the Xenomorphs had started turning into a nest and forced my eyes forward as I passed Aarons lifeless body. With only the flashlight on the pulse rifle as a guide, I tripped on almost every little thing but luckily never fell. And I never stopped running.

 _Gotta survive! Who else will stick it to these asstards?!_

I smiled at that. The Company might actually miss me if I died... okay not really but hey at least someone would remember me. Even if only as the pesky daughter of Dr. Cherish.

I frowned. That wasn't true either. Katie would remember me and so would Zee. The one's that mattered most. The one's I would happily die to protect. Never thought in my life I'd have someone I'd want to willingly do that for.

Someone else came to mind. A broody male I had no name or face for. If I survived this and ever saw him again I would learn his fucking name so I at least knew who the fuck to yell at for this insufferable hole he left behind.

I could still hear the siren blaring from the core room and along with the computers warning as it said, "Warning. The time to reverse the automated self-destruct sequence has expired. The core will self-destruct in T minus five mi..."

The voice faded as I leaped into the IMT hatch and started up the ladder. Slipping several times on Xeno slime in my haste. The pulse rifle hung against my side, the flashlight bobbed and lit up the shoot below. Before me lay a thick darkness but I couldn't juggle the rifle and aim the light up. I'd lose precious seconds trying to climb one-handed and at the moment I was more afraid of the impending explosion than the dark.

Mentally I tried to keep track of the time by counting the seconds in my head but by the time I hit a hundred I lost track. The tubes were sweltering now, sweat drenched my skin making my clothes cling and my hair stick to my face and neck. Enclosed spaces didn't bother me but at the moment I was suffocating.

So distracted by the flight syndrome and the drive to survive I missed the danger lying in wait. I was in the main shoot but there were offshoots for each level. A wet cracking sound ripped through the silence. I froze. It took my brain several heartbeats to register the pain radiating from my thigh. Once aware of it the intensity suddenly breached the deer in headlights moment and I screamed. The Xenomorph hissed from just below, wrenching its tail from my flesh before its clawed digits wrapped around my barefoot and yanked. I screamed again, throwing my already injured arm over the rung as my other desperately grabbed for the pulse rifle. The flashlight on the barrel flashed over the aliens sleek braincase and open hissing maw. It crouched in one of the offshoots right below my feet. So complete was the darkness that I hadn't even seen the tubes or the alien waiting to strike. Hands shaking, I got a shot off and missed. It screamed and jerked again. It could kill me with that tail but it didn't want me dead. It wanted to cocoon me. I screamed as it yanked harder, my injured arm felt like it might rip right off. A plasma round skimmed the side of its head and it let go with an angry shriek. I fired several more times while pulling my feet up and tucking them on a higher rung. A round found its mark right on top of the braincase as it lunged out almost lightning fast but my desperation either made me a hair quicker or it was still stunned by the initial injury. Either way, the alien's yellow blood sprayed the walls and it plummeted, its body smacking the walls on its way down.

I didn't know for sure if it was dead but I decided not to hang around and find out. For all, I know there could be more in the other shoots so I'd better just move my ass and get the hell out. Gritting my teeth against the pain in my arm and leg I forced myself to keep going.

 _How much time? Two minutes? Thirty seconds?_

I hadn't the slightest clue and my injured limbs were slowing me down. When I finally made it above ground I threw the hatch open not giving two shits what lay on the other side. No living thing jumped out at me and I could still hear the Queen and gunfire coming from the hangar. The fact that a few Marines had managed to stay alive this long was commendable.

The Xenomorph's tail had sliced clean through my right thigh and I was having trouble standing. I grabbed the spear, released it and used it as a staff to help me limp towards the sound of fighting. The pulse rifle hung at my side but I had no idea how many shots were left.

Crisp night air washed over me as I entered the hangar. I gulped down the cool air as if I'd been submerged under water for too long. In my periphery, I could see the heated battle but ignored it and tried to stay hidden as I staggered out. In the back of my mind, I knew there was no way I'd outrun the blast but I refused to give up.

I scanned the hangar and found most of the vehicles were upturned or torched.

 _Oh hell yes!_

A tank sat all by its lonesome right next to my hiding spot, beckoning me forth. Leaving it alone just seemed rude so I collapsed the spear and tied it to my back then pulled myself up and dropped down inside the tank. The hatch had been completely ripped off its hinges so there was nothing stopping anything from getting in here with me. Its previous occupants learned this the hard way as I grimaced at all the blood covering the control panels.

 _How do I drive this thing?_

I started pressing buttons at random and got exactly the _wrong_ kind of attention as the thing suddenly fired. The view screen lit up with the explosion. A shrill scream pierced my eardrums and sent my hackles fleeing for the hills. Several other cries rang out and I had to fight not to cover my ears. The blast area was thick with dust making it hard to see. The Queen staggered out of the blast area, her once magnificent crown now missing a large chunk. Yellow acid blood flowed freely down her face and body. The few Marines in the hangar cheered thinking I'd done it on purpose. I hadn't.

I swallowed as the Queen turned her sightless carapace in my direction and shrieked.

 _Oh look at that TK it's time to go!_

Several things happened all at once. I desperately tried to figure out how to fire again, a swarm of pissed off Xenomorphs raced towards the tank and the earth shook violently. A shock wave. A prelude to the star-like collapse of the core rolled through the ground beneath us. Eyes wide I gave up on the gun and tried to figure out how to just get the damn thing to move.

I shrieked as a Xenomorphs clawed hands found my waist and lifted me out of the tank. I struggled but it held tight, pulling me into its chest hard enough its ribs poked painfully into me. It ran. Jumping from the tank and bounding... away from the Queen?

"Let go!" I growled. Trying to get a hand on the rifle. It huffed with a low hiss and I jerked my head up.

"Zee?"

He chittered angrily as if to say 'Who the fuck else?'.

A loud rumble and cracking sound tore the night. The ground rocked hard and Zee hissed, pouring on the speed.

I peered around Zee's arm and wished I hadn't.

"Faster," my wide eyes jumped up to look at the Xeno, "go faster Zee!"

Behind us, the earth was literally ripping itself apart. The Queen's shrill cries were swallowed up as the compound sank under the sand and the destructive path of the building energy gulped down everything in its path. Xenomorphs ran for their lives but I watched as they disappeared from sight one by one. It was like a black hole and it was growing at an alarming rate. This was a build up of energy, the actual explosion had yet to come and when it hit I wasn't sure even Zee could out run it.

The big Xeno never faltered, even as the ground shook as though it had a vendetta against us. Determined. Zee was determined to survive and to save me.

"You should leav-"

Zee cut off my self-sacrificial bullshit with a low warning hiss and I couldn't help the snort of laughter. Truthfully I doubted my weight even hindered his powerful strides. Xenomorphs are very strong and Zee has proven time and again to be even more so than his kin.

A light grew behind us, so bright it was almost blinding. Every cell in my body tensed and I felt the same tension mirrored in Zee's body.

"I'm sorry Ze-"

...

Burning... my lungs were burning...

Tried to move... couldn't...

The pressure was immense. I opened my mouth to draw in a breath and began choking as sand filled it. Terror consumed me as I came back from unconsciousness. I couldn't have been out long otherwise I would've already suffocated. The sand covered me so completely I had no idea which way was up or down.

 _I can't breathe!_

My lungs were on fire and my head swam from lack of oxygen. Buried alive. It seemed rather anticlimactic to die from suffocation given everything else I've survived but then again fate has always proven to be quite the bitch.

Fireworks sparked behind my eyelids and I squirmed against the sand coffin. It hurt so much. I just wanted to fucking breathe!

Movement. Something touch my hand. I wiggled my fingers as best I could.

 _I'm here! I'm here!_

It dawned on me that whatever was above me, digging around my hand may not be friendly but at that moment I couldn't have cared less. It could be the fraggn' Xenomorph Queen for all I cared so long as I didn't suffocate! Hell, I'd kiss the bitch!

It's terrifying to hear the loping beat of your heart begin to slow and permanent darkness consume you. I stopped struggling.

More digging. Accompanied by muffled screams. They sounded far away.

A clawed hand grabbed mine and jerked so hard I thought it would rip my shoulder from the socket. I screamed but no sound came out. The sand loosened around me as I was forcefully dragged up, the pain sending a spike of adrenaline right to my heart. Oxygen filled my lungs and I choked, coughing up the sand in my mouth and throat.

"TK!"

Tears streamed from my eyes, the coughing fit so severe I tasted copper. Someone hovered around me and after a moment I managed to crack open my eyes and found Zee right in front of my face. He chuffed and I pinched my eyes shut again.

"TK!"

Someone else dropped down next to me and the big Xeno hissed. I opened my eyes and found Call staring at me, hands hanging mid air like she meant to touch me but was afraid to because of Zee. I patted the side of his skull and wheezed like a chain smoker, "S'okay Zee. I'm okay."

Still, half buried in sand, broken and bloody but okay.

"Where are the others? How'd you find me?" I asked, digging at the sand around my waist. Zee helped, digging with the ferocity of a dog.

"Zee found you and I spotted him just as he pulled your head out of the sand. April and Katie are safe. Claire should be bringing them and the-"

We heard the sound of an engine and we all immediately turned to see a vehicle moving towards us. It's lights washed over us and I had to block out the brightness with a hand but I'd know the sound of that old clunker anywhere. So did Zee apparently because he ignored Claire as she got out and kept digging.

"TK if you're not dead I'm gonna kill you!" Claire barked as she ran over, ignoring the warning hiss from the Xeno as she hugged me. I stiffened because it was the first time in nearly twelve years anyone has hugged me. Hesitantly I wrapped my good arm around her and coughed when she squeezed too hard. She pushed back and I smiled at the stern look that vaguely reminded me of my mothers. "What in the cosmos were you thinking?!"

I shrugged and it hurt. "They had a Queen which got loose thanks to us. If she escaped then everything and everyone within fifty miles of this place would die."

 _And they had the genetic building blocks to make more male Xenomorphs._ But I kept that to myself. This wasn't the time to blow her mind with Weyland-Yutani's plan to create a hybrid.

My hips were free and I wiggled myself the rest of the way out with a little help from Claire. The passenger side door opened and closed. Katie stepped into the headlights, giving the Xeno standing over me wary glances as she spoke.

"You scared us." Her voice was choked with emotion as she tried not to cry again.

I waved her over. She stepped carefully between me and Zee, uncomfortable with his nearness. Zee seemed to sense it and stepped back as she knelt down and I wrapped my good arm around her. She didn't cry but she hugged me as if to assure herself that I was real. I caught Zee watching her and frowned. I stared at him, he felt my eyes and his head lifted slightly as his attention shifted to me. An unspoken understanding passed between us and I hugged Katie a little tighter, unsure how to respond to the knowledge I'd just gleaned in those silent moments.

"We should go," Claire said. She'd been fussing over Calls wounds but the android waved her off.

Katie pushed away and got a good look at my face and grimaced.

I smirked, "I'll live."

Her lips tightened but she nodded.

"Although," I shifted my leg and hissed. Sand had packed the wound so it wasn't bleeding anymore but that couldn't be sanitary. "I might need help."

Zee moved up beside me and Katie nearly tripped over herself to get away from him. Lowering his head it took me a second to understand but I got the hint when he nudged my elbow. I wrapped my good arm around his neck and he stood on hind legs, holding me carefully.

"Set her in the back of the truck with April," Claire said.

The cab was really only big enough for two people to sit in comfortably. Zee bound up into the bed of the truck and placed me close to the dividing window next to April who gave me a watery smile.

"You look like shit." She said by way of greeting. "And when I said find a man I didn't mean a fucking alien."

I laughed. Zee hissed and laid down at the opposite end, his head propped up on one of my bare feet. I'd have to find new boots but they wouldn't be the same. The spear pressed painfully against my back and I slipped it out of its restraint and laid it in my lap, amazed the thing hadn't been ripped away from me during the blast. I caressed the metal, tracing the archaic symbols etched along the shaft. Didn't all great weapons have a name? It needed a name.

Katie leaned over and touched her grandmother reassuringly before climbing inside the cab with a gentle nudge from Claire who climbed in after her. Call stood on the passenger side, she smiled at April then gave me a poignant glance before sliding inside the cab. The engine rumble to life and Claire began to drive in the opposite direction of the hub and away from the devastation.

My eyes slid over April's face and I touched her forehead, brushing away strands of hair. It wasn't over yet. A stray tear trailed down my cheek. April noticed it and wiped it away, I leaned into her touch. Her grey eyes met mine and I knew that she knew.

"If only I'd come sooner," I whispered, not wanting Katie to overhear us.

April touched her chest absently. "You have to do it TK-"

"Shut up." I bit out, jerking my eyes away. How could she ask that of me? April and Katie were the first people to friend me after so many years of isolation. The thought of killing her it... I wasn't sure I could come back from something like that.

"I don't want Katie's last memories of me to be an alien eating its way out of my chest!"

"And I don't want her to remember me as the woman who killed her grandmother!" I hissed vehemently. A few flickering fires caught my attention and for the first time, I noticed the crater where the lab had been. Nothing left but a giant hole in the ground.

April touched my arm and I flinched, she hesitated and then grabbed the injured arm gingerly, turning it this way and that. She shifted, drawing my attention back to her face. I watched silently as she grimaced, pulling herself into a sitting position and produced a medkit from beneath the tarp. Glad April had the forethought to bring one because I sure hadn't.

She tapped on the dividing window. "Turn the on the cab light."

Someone obliged and flipped the light on. I grimaced at the sight of my arm. Gently she poked and prodded, asking me to flex various muscles and so on.

"TK-"

I flinched.

"-you and I both know I won't survive and I'd like to go out on my own terms."

"Even if those terms force one friend to kill another?"

She didn't look up from what she was doing. "I can't kill myself." Her hands stilled and her eyes lifted to meet mine, filled with raw emotion and unshed tears. "It's a sin and even if I wasn't Catholic I'm not sure I would have the resolve to do it myself. Especially not with Katie around. But you-" She licked her lips and her voice dropped. "-you have the willpower to do what is necessary."

I closed my eyes and tried to put myself in her situation. Anger flared hot in my chest and I latched onto, tying it tight around my heart so I could do what was _necessary_.

I knocked on the dividing window and April gave me a panicked expression. Call turned her head and slid the little window open.

"We need to set up camp." I gave a sidelong glance at April which Call followed. "Let's drive out another couple miles in the desert and then call it."

"We shouldn't stop TK-"

"Claire-" I interrupted, meeting her gaze in the rearview. "-we need to stop."

Claire's brow furrowed in confusion but she didn't argue. I closed the window and met April's eyes. "Spend a little time with Katie first."

She nodded.

"I'll do it."

She released a breath and began wrapping my arm, keeping her eyes averted. "Thank you."

By the time we stopped and made camp, April had cleaned and bandaged the worst of my wounds. She and Katie lay stretched out on the tarp, pointing up at the stars and conversing quietly. April had spoken to Claire a few minutes ago, telling her everything. Naturally, Claire was upset and had stormed off into the desert. Call had gone after her. They didn't get very far. I could still make out their silhouettes in the dark. I sat on the tailgate, leaning my weight against the big Xeno. It struck me as bizarre that this alien had become a pillar of strength for me and how he wanted to be a pillar for someone else.

"She's a child Zee," I said suddenly, voice a mere whisper.

Zee chuffed, stirring my hair.

 _So the crazy doctor got something right after all..._

Just not quite the way he'd imagined it, though. At first, the idea repulsed me when I understood but then I began to think there was no one in this world that would keep Katie safer than Zee. But my question was how did it happen? When? All I knew for sure was that Zee chose Katie as his mate. A child completely petrified at even the sight of him.

 _"I believe a male Xenomorph once he's enthralled by a female, be it human or Xenomorph he will breed and listen explicitly to her call..."_

 _But why Katie? Was it just instinct?_ I thought about that after recalling Dr. Isles mad ranting.

I straightened and glanced up at Zee. He inclined his head, chittering as I gave him a warning. "Do not hurt her Zee. She is far too young. You will have to be patient and wait. Even then she may reject you."

He hissed, head swiveling in Katie's direction. I stared hard at the Xeno, wishing to understand his thought process. He wouldn't hurt Katie I was sure of that but how would he react if she rejected him? I doubted the instinctual drive to be by your mate's side wasn't something one could easily ignore. Not that I would know... or did I?

 _Lust or love? Hmmm..._

Growling in frustration I laid down against the cool uncomfortable metal of the truck bed, rubbing my injured arm absently. Zee's nails clicked as he moved, the back of truck wasn't really big enough for him. He shifted again and I peered at him from the corner of my eye. Was it me or did he seem restless?

The big Xeno finally laid down, looking vaguely like an alien jaguar in the dark. The dense muscle beneath the velvet black of his skin twitched and rippled as if he was on edge. My eyes flicked to his braincase but his attention remained solely on the young girl.

I had to remind myself that Zee, the only male Xenomorph in existence was nothing like his kin. If a male Xenomorph is not of mother nature's design then how did my mother and Dr. Fruitcake manage it in a lab? I'm not a geneticist or anything but if there are no males in a species wouldn't that mean they would've had to use a foreign genetic code to create one? So what type of creature did they splice with a Xenomorph to create a male?

My gaze drifted away from the Xeno to stare up at the stars. The possibilities were infinite. The Company has terraformed many planets, discovering a plethora of new life and no doubt keeping the most _promising_ specimens to themselves. I may never know what made Zee, Zee.

The stars glittered overhead. There was no more light pollution to impede upon their beauty. I've never left Earth, never even considered it.

 _Maybe I should..._

A scream jerked me upright and I cursed as the wound in my leg protested. The Browning was already in my hand because I'd been prepared for this. Dreading this.

Katie stood over her grandmother who lay prone on the ground. April's back suddenly arched up and she cried out. I was out of the truck bed in an instant, using the spear as a crutch.

 _Where the hell is Claire?!_

This was no time for her to be wandering off. I understood April was her family but to go have a pity party right now was just plain selfish. She hadn't been thinking of Katie at all. Or April.

"Get her out of here Zee."

The big Xenomorph looked at me then to Katie and I understood immediately why he didn't want too. April was being ripped apart by a baby Xeno, the last thing Katie would want is to be dragged away by one.

"Now Zee," I moved for April, "she doesn't need to see this."

Zee hissed angrily but he was behind Katie in the next breath. Katie screamed as he picked her up, kicking and flailing.

"Let me go you monster!" She wailed.

Zee ignored the barbs she spat and carefully folded her in his arms so she wouldn't hurt herself by mistake and took off.

Katie shrieked, "NOOOO!"

They disappeared from sight and I limped over to April who was writhing in pain on the ground. My hands shook but it had nothing to do with the pain in my arm.

"Do it!" April cried out, back arching up again and again as the alien dug its way out.

In my absence, while rescuing the others Claire had loaded the Brownie with Slammer rounds. High stopping power, meant to penetrate and cause massive damage without going completely through a target.

The sound of bones cracking and breaking brought my hand up. That thing would rip itself free any second. April saw the gun and forced herself to go very still, fighting the unbearable pain. I met her eyes and even in the dark I could see the fear of death, the fear of leaving Katie alone.

"I promise she will be protected."

Tears slid down her cheeks, "Thank y-"

The round penetrated her skull before she had time to finish. Her body fell back into the sand. April was dead but the alien inside her chest was not. April's chest jerked as the alien desperately tried to escape. It must've felt its death too. I shot three rounds just below her heart, right where the skin began to stretch as the aliens head pressed against it. For several tense moments, I kept the gun trained on her chest and didn't click the safety back on till I knew for sure the thing was dead.

"No!"

Claire suddenly appeared her face a mixture of horror and anguish. She didn't even look at me, couldn't look at me because I was the one holding the gun. She collapsed on the ground next to April's body and pulled her dead friends head into her arms and rocked. Seeing Claire, a woman tougher than a Xenomorph hide so broken and shaken hit me like a kick in the teeth. I'd done what was necessary but I'd also hurt one of the few people I cared about.

The gun slipped from my hand and hit the sand next to my foot. I wasn't sure what I felt or how to react. Anguish built in my chest but I walled it off. The last person Claire wanted comfort from at this moment was me.

"TK."

I glanced at Call.

"Are you o-" She shook her head, obviously thinking better of the stupid question. "-Where's Katie?"

I turned away from Claire, giving her the illusion of privacy as she quietly broke down. There was a small shovel in the back of the truck and we would give April a proper burial before we left.

"Zee's got her," I answered absently.

Call jogged up beside me, rather surprising given her state of disrepair but then again she was an android. She'd crudely sewn up the worst of the damage and would have to wait until we found a settlement to make better repairs.

"Is she safe with him?"

I met Calls concerned eyes and found it rather amusing that even an android could be prejudice against a Xenomorph.

"Let me put it to you this way Call. There is no one in this world or the next safer for her to be with."

She frowned but I didn't elaborate.

As I searched for the small shovel I felt her eyes on my back. Her stare prickled along my senses until finally, I spared her a glance over my shoulder.

"What?" Even to my ears, it sounded growly and short but I really wasn't in the mood for talking about feelings or anything else.

Her brown orbs settled on my wounded leg and the muscle twitched as if in response to her scrutiny. I couldn't fathom why she was staring so damn hard.

"The Xenomorphs tail went clean through." She said this as an observation, not as a question, eyes still trained on the wound.

I cocked a brow, "Yeah and it hurt like hell."

Her brown orbs flicked up to meet my eyes and the look she gave me annoyed me for some reason. Call shook her head, "Nevermind we can talk about it later."

"Uh-huh," was all I managed to say before she walked away.

 _Okay, weird._

Inconspicuously I eyed the wound, flexed the muscle and hissed as it protested with a stab of pain.

 _Talk about what?..._

* * *

 **A/N:** **Okay before the questions start flowing let me start by saying Zee has chosen Katie as his mate. This, of course, opens up the possibility for a different story featuring an _adult_ Katie with Zee. As of right now, I have no story planned for them but so many people like Zee that I am considering the possibility. For now, it will remain on the back burner because I want to get this story finish first plus I'm already working on a different project. Hope everyone enjoyed this chapter even though it ended on a heartbreaking note. **

**P.S. Sorry for the late update and any mistakes. Please review.**


	14. Chapter 14

**Mechanical Planet**

Sprawled out in the back of the truck, I contemplated our situation. After the death of April, the ties that bound our little group together appeared to be unraveling. I'd done the right thing and despite how painful it was to admit it, so did Claire and Katie. Three nights have passed since we put her in the ground and no one had yet to say a word. Everyone's emotions were frayed, even Zee seemed on edge but his turmoil had nothing to do with ours.

I listened to the road and tried hard not yelp every time we hit a pothole or bump. The wound in my leg was tender and my arm well... it would take a long time to heal. The big Xeno beside me shifted uncomfortably, making all sorts of unnerving sounds.

 _What's wrong Zee?_

If only his telepathy worked on humans... on second thought maybe I didn't want to know what went on inside that large sloping braincase. It probably wouldn't sound any different. Just like when a human thinks it's in their own language.

The big Xeno rolled over, pulling the tarp off me as he did so.

"Bed hog."

He hissed but didn't look in my direction as he continued to fidget.

 _Can Xeno's get fleas?_

I chuckled silently at the thought. He'd only hiss at me if I asked. My eyes drifted up and my mind began connecting the dots with stars. It was a little difficult though between the cloud coverage. The scent of rain road the back of the wind and I wondered vaguely where we were. The landscape had changed. There was a lot more vegetation and I'd caught a glimpse of a mountain range earlier in the day. We'd make camp soon which was a very good thing. The big Xeno beside me seemed restless and would probably benefit from a good hunt.

The divider window slid open but I didn't have to roll my eyes up to see who it was. Only one person other than Zee was talking to me.

"Camp in thirty." Call said.

I nodded and heard the little window slide shut.

Call had been upset about April's death as well but she hadn't known her long enough to mourn for very long. Again it could be her programming but it felt rude to ask someone if the emotions they felt were fabricated.

Sometimes I wondered if my own emotions were real. The short time I spent around other humans taught me how to _act_ and _react_ well. I have emotions but after being alone for so long sometimes I get confused about what to feel so after spending a little time with other humans I started watching their reactions and facial cues. Learning what was and what was not acceptable. In my heart, I did mourn the loss of April but it hadn't lasted long. The anger was still there, though. Sharp as a blade, dangerously sliding along my nerve endings. That's how I dealt with pain.

 _We should leave..._

I glanced at the Xeno next to me and found him watching me. He must've sensed my growing agitation to our situation. The big Xeno was my friend which is rather ironic if you think about it. Zee is a predator. A carnivore. Xenomorphs considered everything that breathed to be prey, including humans and Zee was no different. I've seen him eat humans, yet he chose one as his packmate and the another one as his mate. And here I thought I was the enigma.

 _Katie..._

Would he leave her behind if I chose not to stay? Or would he follow Katie? Quite frankly I doubted the girl wanted anything to do with him but time has a way of changing people. A relationship between a human and a Xenomorph... was such a thing even possible? Humans have such a narrow view when it came to love and sex. A relationship with an alien race, even an intelligent and sentient one would probably be considered a form of bestiality.

I reached out and brushed my fingers across Zee's smooth braincase. The tight obsidian skin felt a little rubbery and sleek. Like a dolphin perhaps. If it were me Zee wanted would I have been able to overcome the thousands of years of ingrained dogma?

The Predator popped into my brain. Recalling the feel of him beneath me in that elevator shaft. The way my heart still leaped when I thought of how he protected me even though I started out as his prey.

I pulled my hand away and tucked it beneath my head. Maybe not for Zee but for someone else I think I could have broken free of the ideology.

Zee chuffed, stretched out his neck and nudged my forehead with his. He keened softly in the back of his throat. A sound no other Xeno could make, conveying his concern. I patted the side of his head. The thought of Zee not coming with me scared me and brought me more sadness than April's death. I'd be alone again but I had no right to hold him back. Leaving this little group was for the best. I attracted trouble. Lots of it. If the Company figured out that I'd survived the blast they would definitely come after me and anyone I cared about. The Xeno beside me could handle himself but the humans and even the android inside the truck cab were a different story. No one would ever be used as pawns against me again.

The brakes squealed as we came to a stop, Zee launched himself out of the truck bed and into the foliage before the engine even cut off. I tried to follow the movement with my eyes but failed. The Xenomorph either needed the distance from the humans, Katie being a particularly obvious one or a chance to hunt. Maybe both.

I glanced down at my bandaged leg and useless arm with a sigh. Being broken wasn't something I was used too. I've been badly injured before but not so badly I became a liability. Of course before Zee and the others came along I wasn't a liability to anyone but myself. And sliding across the truck bed on my butt while trying not breath hard from the energy it cost me made me feel like an invalid.

Call noticed my struggle and nonchalantly opened the tailgate. Thankfully she pretended not to notice my struggle or do something as stupid as give me a piteous glance. Pity would've been more damaging than the wounds themselves.

I slid to the edge and let my legs hang over the tailgate. Face pinched as I rubbed the wound on my thigh with a subtle hiss. Tension stiffened my back as Katie and Claire remained inside the cab. I darted a glance behind me and could see them talking. I gave them privacy and went back to absently rubbing my thigh, eyes focused in the direction Zee had taken off in.

"She's just scared you know?"

"I know," I answered tiredly, understanding perfectly why Katie had yet to get out of the truck. Zee frightened her and she was still in deep mourning. The poor girl had become almost mute not that Claire was saying much either but Katie seemed to be falling into a dark pit. She couldn't meet my eyes after I shot April, she couldn't even be near me. The big Xeno felt her anguish more than I did but couldn't get within ten feet of the girl not without making her flinch away. Never in my life did I think I'd feel sorry for a Xenomorph. Zee wanted to be close to her but couldn't because his mate was deathly afraid of him.

 _There's still a chance Zee..._ A slim one at best but still a chance. It would be several years before Katie was even the right age and maturity to grasp what Zee wanted so if he remained by her side until the appropriate time he may have a chance.

Call came and leaned against the tailgate beside me. "So what happens now?"

I sighed, "Don't know. Maybe we'll get lucky and no one will fuck with us till my-" I eyed the stitched up cuts along her arms and remembered she also had a deep laceration in her thigh. "-our wounds have healed."

 _Don't hold your breath._

I rolled my eyes at my on pessimism.

"Forgive me Call I haven't spent much time around synthetics before. You said we'd have to stop somewhere to make repairs correct?"

Call didn't seem offended if anything I saw shame. I've seen this expression before on her when she apologized about being an older model.

"We prefer to be called 'artificial persons' or 'AP' for short. The newer models have it easier than I do. Our musculature is vat-grown but the newer models have vat-grown skin as well, meaning they can regenerate like a human but faster." She examined the stitch work on her arms. "This'll work for now but eventually, I will have to get it professional repaired."

I wanted to ask if the emotions she displayed were real but refrained. They were real enough and I didn't want to hurt her.

"Why did you help me Call? Back at the Stratus building. You owed nothing to me or my mother. So why risk it?"

She tilted her head up, arms crossed over her chest. "I came across your mother's work by accident TK. Honestly, it wasn't anything I haven't seen before. Humans have been trying to figure out a way to use Xenomorphs to their advantage since they were first stumbled upon by the crew of the Nostromo. An accidental discovery which ultimately led to the desolation of Earth. Like so many others I blamed your mother until I came upon some of her entries concerning Dr. Isles. Curiosity won out over the fear of getting caught. Most humans still think of AP's as nothing more than mindless machines, especially the older models but they often forget we have a sense of right and wrong. Hurting a human goes against my programming but there's nothing stopping me from letting one die if they get mortally wounded. I was put behind a desk, forced to wade through tons of sensitive data. No one ever thought for one nanosecond that an AP would go against the Company. Dr. Isles's work frightened me. Anyway, after countless hours of snooping and breaking into encrypted files, I managed to piece together a rather horrifying future should his projects ever come to fruition." Call's brown orbs flicked to mine, holding them. "TK besides Dr. Isles's death do you remember anything before that?"

My brows pinched together in thought. Beyond his death, most of my memory was still a mystery. Granted I hadn't ever given it much thought up until now. If I tried hard enough I remembered a few moments with my mother, mostly the days leading up to her death but the time I spent in Dr. Isles's _care_ was hazy at best. I blinked up at Call, trying to understand where this conversation was headed.

She took a breath, "TK tell me something. Do you think Katie, who is roughly your size and weight could've fought off those Xenomorphs in the corridor back in the lab had she been conscious?"

My frown deepened but I didn't interrupt.

"No TK, she _couldn't_ have and you _shouldn't_ have been able to either. You're not an augmented human nor are you an AP." Her eyes grew incredibly serious, causing me to tense. "I don't think you're completely human."

My brows shot up into my hairline. "I am human."

She nodded, "Yes you are but I think maybe Dr. Isles or perhaps even your mother did something to your DNA. Think about it TK. You're taking on creature's grown men twice your size can't handle-"

"I'm just lucky that's all."

Her eyes softened in sympathy and I had to fight the urge to smash her teeth in.

"Luck may play a part in it TK but you are definitely different from the average human. You're faster and stronger, not by much but enough to give you an edge. Katie is almost as big as you are and you managed to carry her dead weight and fight off our enemies back at the lab. And if you haven't noticed you tolerate pain well and heal quicker too. Again not by much but its better than any other human who isn't augmented. You're instinctual reaction-"

"It's a learned behavior," I snapped. "After years and years of defending myself." The spear was in my hands and I slid my thumb over the catch, extending it. I hopped out of the tailgate, using Ares like a walking stick and gave Call a warning look over my shoulder. "I'm human Call. I'm human. How dare you dishonor my mother's memory by even suggesting-"

"She was a scientist TK. One who was dedicated to her work. When she learned what Dr. Isles was doing with you behind her back maybe she gave you the ability to defend yourself against Xeno-"

"She was my mother!" I met Call's orbs angrily, "She loved me!"

Call opened her mouth then closed it upon reading my hostile expression and didn't say anything more as I hobbled away. I needed air. I needed time to think. If what Call said is true then there really was nothing special about me. I was just another fucking experiment.

 _She's wrong. I am..._ Now that the seed of doubt had been planted I was starting to play through the past events in my life.

 _... human..._

...

Keeping weight off my leg, I gingerly made my way into the brush. It had been a long time since I last saw something green instead of just sand, red earth, and decaying ruins. The wooded areas grew wild and untamed without the intervention of humans. The deeper I went in the closer the trees came together. Sweat dampened my skin from the exertion. I found a fallen trunk covered in moss and sat down on it to rest. The crisp clean air breathed along my skin, drying the beads of sweat.

I scanned the dark forest, making sure to look up at the branches. Humans never think to look up, always assuming the danger to be at eye level. I saw nothing but then I hadn't felt anything either. In fact, now that I was really paying attention I didn't hear anything at all. Not a bird, not the buzz of insects, quite literally nothing.

My hands flexed around Ares, the spear. God of War and the son of Zeus in Greek Mythology, a fitting name for the weapon in my grasp.

Alarmed by the silence of the forest, I turned in a slow circle. Nothing moved, yet the hair on my arms stood at attention. Perhaps it was only Zee who caused the forest to go still but I couldn't shake the unmistakable sensation of being watched.

After a few minutes, I began to feel silly and forced myself to loosen my death grip just a bit. The tense hold caused the wound in my arm to flare hot with pain. Being on high alert for so long may have left me paranoid and more than a little jumpy. If I started flinching at every shadow I wouldn't be any help to anyone. Not that I was much help now, anyway.

I started back through the brush then paused, ears straining. There was sound, after all, a trickling noise that grabbed my attention and had me heading in a different direction.

My eyes widened as I came upon a stream. When was the last time I've seen natural running water? Years. It had been several years. Feeling elated I stepped into the clear water and shivered. Damn if not for the need to keep vigilant I might've actually said fuck paranoia and gone for a swim. I waded in and stopped just before the water reached the wound in my thigh, soaking my jeans. I didn't care. Using Ares as a support I gingerly pulled my tank off and used it as a sponge to wipe away the worst of the dried dirt and blood. This, of course, drew my attention to the recently healed injury along my ribs. The brain damaged queen back in the Wilds came close to ending my life. The thick scar ran from the top of my hip to just under my breast. Call's words had me examining it curiously. Did it heal faster than it should've? Was I able to dodge the killing blow because of blind luck or because I could move faster?

 _Damn you Call! So what if I'm a little fast. I've been running my whole goddamn life!_

Then there was the point about being able to carry Katie, who honestly was probably just shy of my weight by twenty pounds.

 _Adrenaline!_ Of course, it had been the adrenaline rush. See perfectly fucking normal.

"Fuck," I breathed, angrily.

The only two people in the world who knew the truth for sure were dead. Yet as much as it pained me to admit it what Call said made a scary amount of sense. I've heard of single Xeno's bringing down airships full of Marines and queens taking down entire cities. Like the battle for L.A. and Las Vegas, both of which ended with airstrikes after the death of thousands. Of course, the Xenomorph queen had survived in Vegas, albeit damaged. I'd killed her but not without help.

I shook my head vehemently.

 _Stop it TK your just going to drive yourself crazy with this. Call's wrong. She has to be..._

Willing the niggling thought away, I rinsed my hair as best I could without slipping beneath the alluring water before regrettably getting out. The tank was soaking wet so I just held onto it until I could lay it out to dry on the hood of the truck.

As I turned to head back and inform the others of my discovery I spotted something partially floating in the water. I walked along the water's edge, mud squelching between my toes. My eyes narrowed as I tried to make sense of what it was. It looked similar to tripe, not that I've ever eaten tripe but I've seen it in some villages. Though as I finally stood over it I realized it was definitely not a cow's stomach. Crouching I used a stick to lift the heavy tissue from the water and immediately dropped it.

"Zee!" I called, standing too fast and nearly collapsing when I put weight on my bad leg. The thing in the water was the shed skin of a Xenomorph. A big one. Xenomorphs like reptiles and insects shed their skin as they grow.

 _Was that why he was so restless?_

Then again why had Zee even shed at all? He was fully grown... wasn't he? Not for the first time, I wondered what genetic coding my mother had used to bridge the gap in order to make a male Xenomorph.

 _He's still evolving..._ The thought had crossed my mind before but never had substance to it until now.

A shiver rushed up my back.

 _It may not be Zees at all..._

The only Xenomorph's that could get bigger than Zee was a Praetorian, the last stage before becoming a queen and of course a queen. Grunting in pain I made my way back to the camp as fast as I could. I exited the underbrush and found nothing amiss. Everyone was fine, even Katie and Claire had made their way out of the truck and were building a fire. Except there was someone missing wasn't there? Zee had yet to return and he hadn't come to my call. He would've remained in earshot so where the hell was he?

 _Zee..._

Call finally noticed me and seemed to recognize the distress on my face and made her way over.

"Something wrong?" She whispered, eyeing the wooded area behind me.

"I don't know," I said honestly.

 _Zee will come back. He always does._

If that skin belonged to Zee then what did that mean? And if it wasn't his then a Xenomorph bigger than Zee had been in this area.

"We should move the camp," I said abruptly.

Call frowned, "Are we in danger?"

"Yes. No. I don't know." My eyes scanned the dark woods but I felt nothing, saw nothing. Damn for all I know that skin could've been laying there for days now. I blew out a breath, "I don't know Call."

She glanced over her shoulder and I followed, noticing Katie laying close to the fire using Claire's legs as a pillow. Call turned back to me and blinked, taking in my wet and shirtless state. She cocked a brow but didn't ask.

"If you really think its dangerous then we should go. Otherwise, I don't think we should try moving again for the night. Katie and Claire are exhausted both mentally and physically." She placed a hand on my shoulder. "And so are you TK." Her brown orbs flicked away, "Sorry about earlier."

I nodded and took a deep breath. "Later. Right now I don't give a shit."

 _I need to sleep._

Someone else could play lookout tonight. If there was anything lurking in the woods Zee could handle it. I'd like to see anything sneak up on us with him around. I started towards the fire, met Claire's eyes and thought better of it as she dropped my gaze. Claire ran her hands through Katie's hair. The girl stared blankly at the fire but I could see she was losing the battle to stay awake.

Back in the bed of the truck, I grunted and hissed at the feel of the cold metal against my back side. The thin tarp shielded the big Xeno from the sunlight during our daytime travel but it sucked as a makeshift mattress. Not that I was gonna sleep much anyway, as much as my body begged for blessed unconsciousness my mind was still a hurricane of thought.

Propped up against the side of the truck bed, I stretched my legs out along the tailgate and crossed my arms over my chest. Call sat close to the fire, opposite Claire and Katie, flexing her fingers as she poked at them with a small tool. More repairs may be.

Eventually, my eyes strayed back to the dark woods, thoughts inevitably returning back to my earlier discussion with Call. She said I was still human just slightly altered. A little faster. A little stronger. I closed my eyes whether it was true or not I could live with being a _little_ different. Although I'd be lying if I said it didn't feel as though it cheapened the experiences I lived through.

 _Nothing special after all... just another fucking experiment..._

...

I don't know what woke me up but I came back to awareness in a hurry as instinct had me gripping Ares even before my eyes opened. The fire still crackled and danced but it didn't burn with the brightness it had earlier. Katie and Claire slept soundly in front of its dwindling light. Call on the other hand was still awake. She noticed me and met my eyes briefly as I swept my gaze over our surroundings. Holding Ares in front of me I crouched in the bed of the truck. Aware of the heat of watchful eyes on the back of my neck. The wound in my thigh protested as I slowly turned.

A familiar clicking sound caught my attention and for half a second I relaxed. Big mistake. Three dots in a triangular pattern appeared just over my heart. I froze.

 _Not my Predator..._

"Everybody move!" I screamed, throwing myself over the side of the truck at the same time the Predator fired.

* * *

 **A/N:** **Man this chapter was hard to wrap my head around but I think it turned out okay. You all may have noticed my new story I've posted along with this chapter. _Can I Keep Him_ which I started writing just to break up the seriousness of this one when I was having writers block. It's another Predator/Human fic but it has nothing to do with the story arc I'm working on with TK and Shadow. _Deadly Curiosities _ is still my main story so don't worry I won't be setting it aside for the new one. The story between Eve and Ra'zele which is a revamp of AVPR is under reconstruction because the story arc is turning into something much bigger than I thought. However, I don't want to overwhelm myself so I want to finish this one first.**

 **P.S. Really everyone thanks for all the reviews, favs and follows. XD**


	15. Chapter 15

**Who Am I Living For?**

"Everybody move!"

The heat from the Predators weapon seared the back of my neck as I flopped to the ground, landing on my chest and bad arm. Wheezing I cast an eye over my shoulder and blinked at the sizzling metal frame. A circular chunk of the truck bed had melted, right where I'd been sitting.

 _Fuck me._

Eyes wide, my gaze darted towards Claire who was picking up a disoriented Katie. Call moved towards them, armed with a pulse rifle.

"Get to the truck and get the fuc-"

The words died in my throat as three dots appeared on Calls chest. She barely had time to register them before a ball of greenish-blue energy hit her.

"No!" I shouted, as her body went rolling through the brush.

Claire jerked Katie to the ground, she'd seen the blast take out the android too. Katie cried out, awake and scrambling away in panic. Claire grabbed her and held the frightened girl to her.

Ares was still in my hands and I rolled under the truck holding the spear, eyes searching for the Predator. But how were you suppose to fight what you couldn't see? Claire and Katie had no idea what we were up against and with my injuries, I might be next to useless.

 _"... I don't think you're completely human..."_ My heart leaped at the thought. Human or not, this particular type of alien gave Xenomorphs a run for their money on the badassery scale.

Rain chose that moment to pelt the ground in torrential sheets, drowning out any noise the Predator may have made. Not that such a creature made noise whilst stalking his or her prey. The only reason I ever knew about the one stalking me, a.k.a the Big Bad was because he'd wanted me to know.

A low buzz and crackle caught my attention, the Predator's cloaking device fizzled and suddenly he became visible in a shower of blue sparks. Mother nature had inadvertently given us a helping hand, if only a little one. Seeing the damn creature didn't make him any less frightening. In fact, it made him even more terrifying as my eyes took in his sheer size and heavily muscled body as he stood right over Katie and Claire.

The breath in my lungs caught and I had a paralyzing moment of pure fear as he towered over them and they screamed. The little triangular red dots flicked over Claire's head then Katies but the Predator did something odd, he stepped away from them and turned towards the truck. Towards me. My hands gripped Ares until pain radiated along my entire forearm.

I rolled back out and got to my feet, ignoring the way my injured thigh protested. The wounds were bad enough to impair my mobility but the overwhelming fear for the others and the adrenaline gave me a boost.

 _Or is it something else entirely..._

He titled his head and trilled, as if I'd done something interesting. Behind him, Katie and Claire were crawling their way towards the truck. Good.

The Predator's attention was focused on me like a laser guided missile. The rain made little tink, tink, tink, noises as it showered his helmet and sparse armor. Much like _my_ Predator, Big Bad, this one wore next to nothing, covering only vital points and dangly bits. It was hard to tell in the dark but this one seemed to have more of a dark olive green shade to his skin.

No not me. I clutched Ares tighter, realizing the spear is what made him pause. Probably wondering how the fuck a human got ahold of one his kind's weapons. The rain let up, allowing me to see the cannon on his shoulder and the two very human skulls attached at his hip. Trophies. There were other skulls, smaller ones, slung across his scarred bare chest.

I swallowed. He was really fucking _big_. Even if Call was right about my DNA there was no way I could beat this guy. Not like this. I remember the feel of the immense strength of _my_ Predator and he'd only been toying with me.

Come to think of it why have I been referring to him as _my_ Predator?

 _Because you're a bloody idiot now pay the fuck attention!_

The Predator's canon swiveled and my eyes jumped to it, watching in interest as it collapsed down and behind him. My heart shuddered as he took up a very aggressive stance, arms outstretched and feet apart as he let loose a blood-curdling roar. One thick arm raised over his head and I tensed, he produced a spear and extended it.

 _Shit..._

I've gotten pretty good at handling the spear in my grip but not _that_ good. Not good enough to go toe to toe with a creature who obviously had been hunting with his for years and flipped it expertly in his hands like he _really_ knew how to use it.

 _Where the hell is Zee?!_ The big Xeno wasn't here and a Predator had been allowed to sneak up on us. Something must be wrong. It wasn't like Zee to leave me unprotected, much less Katie.

A tree branch snapped and we both looked behind him as Call came rushing out of the brush. The left side of her chest and her entire left arm were gone but she still came after the Predator like a hell beast. Before she even got close the android jerked and came to an abrupt stop, eyes going wide as they met mine. Another crackle of blue sparks and suddenly another Predator decloaked as he raised Call off her feet with the twin blades he'd run clean through her upper chest. I barely had time to process everything as the second Predator holding up Call, grabbed the top of her head with his free hand and relieved it from her shoulders in a shower of milky white fluid. The cracking and ultimate snap of her head being ripped off sounded similar to gunfire and rang in my ears as he tossed Calls body and head to the ground.

The pulse rifle landed near Claire's feet by the open truck door as she and Katie watched, horror and terror plain on their faces. Claire went for the pulse rifle. The second Predator saw this and I screamed, "Claire don't!"

My brain connected a vital piece of information in those nightmare-inducing seconds. Call had the gun both times. A weapon. And the Predator had left the other two alone because they hadn't been armed.

Claire didn't listen, she grabbed the gun. I ran towards them. Several things happened at once and if I'd blinked I would've missed it. The Predator in front of me made ready to thwart my charge. The second Predator, the one that killed Call moved for Claire. Katie screamed and a black blur collided with the second Predator throwing him into the first. Neither Predator fell but they did roar with rage as they quickly turned towards the new contender.

 _Wha- what is that?!_

A hiss came from the creature and every hair along my skin snapped to attention.

 _Zee?!_

Drone Xenomorph's reach an average height of eight feet when standing, Praetorians hit about ten. The Xenomorph separating the two human females from the Predators slowly stood up on its hind legs with its teeth bared. My eyes widened because there was no doubt about whether or not this Xenomorph was Zee and he'd _evolved._ Much like I thought he would but in a completely unexpected way. Standing on his hind legs he had to be at least ten feet, a good two feet taller than both Predators. Along his sloping skull ran a row of triangular spines, tinted red or so I thought. It was hard to make out all the details in the dark but those were definitely spines. Lightning flashed overhead and I thought I could make out faint almost tiger-like stripes but got distracted by the sound emanating from his chest. Guttural and angry. Deeper than any sound I've ever associated with a Xeno. His lips peeled back from his teeth and he shrieked suddenly blurring into motion and tackling the Predator who'd killed Call.

Zee could handle himself but there were two of them and even though the Xeno was taller, the Predators were heavily muscled and armed. From my past experience and the rumors, I've heard these guys thrive on the hunt. Going after the biggest and the badest of prey. For _fun_. I had no doubt that Zee looked like nothing more than a trophy to collect.

The second Predator, the one Zee had taken down had a distinctive helmet that had the lower jaw of something akin to a shark attached at the bottom. He was more heavily muscled than the first and even though Zee had surprised him the Predator counter-attacked just as ferociously.

The first Predator whipped his head in my direction, dred-like appendages swinging over his shoulders as he clicked angrily at me. I'd made a move to help Zee, unaware that I'd even done so until the Predator faced me once more. I froze mid-stride, hands cramping from the force I used to hold Ares. Call's theory about my DNA was about to be tested. Before now I haven't lived with humans since I was eight and always assumed my strength and speed was normal for my size. Well here's hoping I was wrong because androids are fucking tough and that Predator just ripped Call apart as if she were a barbie doll.

Red, faced me, I called him Red because there were slashes of red along his mask and it made it easier to differentiate from his pal Jaws. He roared at me. A roar that sent a tremor of fear coursing through me. I swallowed hard and steeled my spine. Lightning shimmered off his spear as it twirled and suddenly he moved, blindingly fast. His spear met Ares with a sharp clang and enough strength to send me reeling back several steps.

Oh yeah, Big Bad had simply been toying with me. The force Red used still vibrated through my bones and I didn't even have time to recover before he was on me again. Moving so blindingly fast I could barely defend myself. A cry of agony slipped from me as he struck with enough strength to send me reeling back again, this time causing my injured leg to buckle. I went down in an awkward crouch, breathing hard. Ares shook and I could no longer hold it properly because my right arm had given out as well. Zee shrieked loudly in response but to preoccupied with the other Predator to aid me. Injured as I was it was only a matter of moments before my attacker bested me and took my head much in the same fashion his partner Jaws had done to Call. I didn't care, these guys were after Zee, after a fucking trophy. I couldn't let that happen if I could help it.

The truck door slammed and Red turned slightly, activating his shoulder canon so the other two couldn't escape.

"Not prey!" I growled. He looked back at me but the canon still charged. "Claire gun it!"

The truck peeled away in a spray of mud and Red roared angrily, turning his attention to the fleeing vehicle and the two women inside. Ares blades are sharp and they cut the canon from his shoulder rig before it fired. I hadn't known I could move that fast, especially while injured so badly. The rush left me shaking and I found myself back in an awkward crouch almost in arms reach of him. My swift attack managed to surprise the Predator giving Claire and Katie a chance to flee. He roared at me again and jerked the dangling canon free and tossed it to the ground. For a tense moment, he regarded me then slowly lifted his hands to his helmet. The right one disconnected a hose and a hiss of air followed. Perhaps our atmosphere wasn't ideal to this species but it sure as shit didn't seem to bother him as he pulled the mask off. To say I was shocked would be an understatement.

 _I want one of these... aliens?!_

Maybe I should have my head examined because despite being bipedal and upright that is where the human similarities ended. The creature behind the mask was almost as alien as a Xenomorph. He had a broad forehead, with deep-set yellow orbs and thick quill-like hairs along the outer edge of his skull. He roared again, flaring out arthropod-like mandibles barbed with tusks. The mouth behind those mandibles was lipless and filled with razor sharp teeth. Everything from his heavy build to his three inch long tusks at the end of each mandible screamed fearsome predator.

The mask dropped to the wet earth and he took up a wide stance, circling me slowly. I kept the dual blades of Ares aimed at his chest, following his movements. Behind him I caught glimpses of the other two titans struggling, grappling, making all sorts of spine-chilling growls and snarls. Zee wouldn't best him in time to save me.

I met the Predators yellow orbs and smiled showing teeth. Maybe I would die and maybe I wouldn't, either way, I wanted this guy to remember me.

The rain pelted my skin, mud squishing between my toes. In that second the world stilled and it was just me and him. I took a breath, calming the galloping of my heart. Concentrated. Adrenaline sharpening my senses. The muscle in his legs bunched. He sprung. Instinct led the way and I followed, rolling to the side coming back up on one knee and slashing upward at his ribcage as he missed me. The hairs on the back of my neck jumped and I leaned back, bowing my spine and watching the serrated blade of the spear miss my face by mere centimeters.

I rolled away as one large foot attempted to crush me. Mud splashed over my body, getting in my mouth and nose. I spat it out, gritting my teeth as the effects of adrenaline waned. It didn't matter how much my body kept dumping into my system. Adrenaline can only carry a broken body so far.

The Predator roared, dreds swinging back and forth as his head moved. My brows furrowed.

 _What the hell?_

I was right in front of him, sprawled on my backside but he darted his gaze around as if I'd just... I glanced down at the thin layer of mud covering most of my body and understanding dawned. Without the helmet apparently, these creatures naturally saw heat signatures and the mud was blocking his ability to see me.

The rain plopped against my skin, washing spots of the mud away. I quickly slapped on more before carefully getting to my feet. He didn't see the movement and didn't seem to notice me not two feet in front of him. I spun Ares in my hand, this was literally fighting dirty but there was nothing wrong with an edge in this scenario. The creature outweighed me by four hundred pounds, maybe more and could crush my skull with a simple flex of the raw power in those densely corded arms.

Phosphorus green blood oozed from his side but the blades had only sliced through thick skin and didn't hinder him at all. Quieting my ragged breathing I struggled forward, doubting my ability to inflict a lot of damage in my current state. My right arm was dominate but I could no longer hold Ares up with it. So when I thrust the dual blades of the spear into his already injured side using my left hand it came as no surprise that all I'd manage to do was tick him off. Stabbing him had given him directionality in which to strike.

I blinked the darkness from my vision. He'd backhanded me so hard I'd lost consciousness for several moments, sending me flying backward to land in a heap against the trunk of a tree. Just as I started to get my barrings a claw-tipped hand wrapped around my throat and lifted me off the ground. The rain must've washed enough of the mud away for him to see the heat signatures. The hand at my throat flexed and released, flexed and released as if he wanted me to understand just how easy it would be to crush my throat.

Even through the gathering darkness at the edges of my vision, I managed to meet his yellow orbs. His mandibles flared out as he roared but I didn't flinch. I would not give him the satisfaction of seeing the terror in my eyes before killing me. He cocked his head. Then again perhaps showing no fear was a mistake. Despite their brutality and overwhelming hunting prowess they seemed to live by a sort of code. Red had only attacked Call because she'd been armed. And he could've easily killed Katie and Claire when he stood over them.

Red stared at me hard, hesitant for some odd reason. Perhaps it was because I was no longer armed and looked rather unappealing as a trophy. But I had attacked him, hurt him, so I clearly fell into whatever code he lived by as an acceptable kill yet I could see thoughts turning in his eyes.

 _What are you thinking?_

Did it really matter? I was gonna die anyway.

* * *

 **Predator Red**

The Predators gaze flicked to the discarded combistick and back up to the ooman female in his grip. How did this ooman get ahold of a Yautja weapon? She bore no mark, nor any real scars definitive of a victorious fight against one of his own yet she had one of their weapons. The only other way she could have gotten a hold of such a weapon was if it had been gifted to her.

The Predator crouched, still holding the ooman as he fetched his bio helmet and slipped it in place. With the filters activated he could see more in her spectrum and examined her more closely but still he found no marks.

 _Perhaps she stole it?_

The Predator tossed this thought as quickly as it came. Even a foolish youngblood wouldn't have allowed an ooman to steal his weapon. Then someone had gifted it to her. But why?

Behind him, he could hear the heated battle of his brother against the odd kiande amedha. Why had such a creature, one so driven by the need to kill been following an ooman like a pet?

The Predator took a moment to play back a few seconds of each recording. Something about this situation felt annoyingly like a setup. Anger filled his chest at the thought. He and his brother, Me'sha had received the recordings anonymously but hadn't cared to figure out who or why. Not when the opportunity to hunt such worthy prey arose. The female in his grip didn't struggle, didn't beg which in itself made her a good trophy yet she'd been previously injured and he'd bested her so quickly that it left him feeling cheated. His eyes drifted over her and part of him balked at the idea of killing an already beaten opponent, especially a female one. Unlike his brother who had no qualms about killing females, Ka'zida did.

A roar of pain had Ka'zida turning his eyes towards his brother. The enraged male kiande amedha had bested him and pierced his brother's chest with its barbed tail, lifting him several feet before tossing him. The kiande amedha turned its attention on him... no not him but the ooman in his grip and shrieked in rage. Ka'zida dropped the ooman as the more dangerous prey charged him and roared when the alien smashed into him, sending them both sprawling.

* * *

 **TK's POV**

Unceremoniously the Predator dropped me and I landed on my butt with an 'oof'. Light headed from the lack of oxygen I breathed in a gulp of air and yelped as Zee crashed into Red and they tumbled over me and away. The two were on their feet in a flash, grappling and snarling dangerously close to me. I dragged myself further away but didn't make it very far as the second Predator stood over me. Phosphorus green blood ran down from the gaping wound in his chest, the blow obviously missed his heart or he wouldn't be standing at all.

He moved so fast that it took my brain several moments to get over the shock of being stabbed. Eyes wide I swallowed thickly as my eyes took in the sight of the twin blades in his gauntlets running through my chest. I think I whimpered because Zee shrieked angrily from somewhere behind me. The pain came in an intense rush and my breath caught on a scream. The Predator hovering above me trilled, sounding angry and satisfied. I watched, gaze rapt as blood seeped out of the wounds around the blades to mingle with the rain. The blades slid out, slightly jerking me up off the ground as they did so.

I fell limp against the wet earth, shocked and amazed that I was going to die. The darkness that had been hovering at the edges of my vision began to grow. Blinking tiredly, I glanced up at the Predator, watching his chest rise and fall with his breaths. Lightning flashed and behind him a figure decloaked. I smiled.

* * *

 **Halkrath (Shadows) POV**

Halkrath flew through the trees, his weight barely even jostling the branches as he moved soundlessly and with purpose. The warrior had seen the proximity warning of the other ship hours ago and understood exactly what its occupants would be hunting. There was simply no other reason why two Yautja, more specifically these two Yautja to be in this location so close to where he'd left the ooman and the strange kiande amedha.

Halkrath cursed himself for being so foolish. He'd sent the recordings to his clan leader out of habit, he never even considered the consequences of said action. It was not lost on him that he just informed Ruu'so, his leader of his ooman mate and no sooner had he done so Yautja were hunting her. Of course, he didn't know which of the two were being hunted at the present time. He just wanted to make sure it wasn't his mate. If the twins were hunting the kiande amedha he would leave them to it but if they were after his mate...

A growl rumbled in his chest as a dark fury took hold. If they hurt his mate then Cetuna would look like a bitch in comparison.

The rain was reeking havoc on his ability to stay cloaked but at the moment it held. The warrior inhaled and held the air at the back of his throat, tasting it. Scenting it. Anger rippled through him as he tasted blood in the air, her blood. He didn't give a shit about the other smells because none of those mattered.

His eyes registered several things at once as he made it to the clearing. Except the only one he processed was the sight of one of the mei'hsweis crouched over his mate with his wrist blades sheathed inside her chest. Halkrath moved without thinking, got behind the one stooped over his mate, locked an arm around his neck and yanked him off at the same time burying his own wrist blades into his back.

* * *

 **TK's POV**

Blades protruded from Jaws chest and he roared before being tossed aside like an afterthought. The newcomer crouched beside me and touched my face. I smiled up at _my_ Predator.

"I-I'm Tessa." I wanted him to know my name before I died and I wanted to know his but couldn't form any more words. I've never told anyone my name before just the abbreviation but I wanted him to know me as Tessa and not TK.

He roared. It sounded angry and filled with pain.

 _Huh, so he did feel something for me after all..._

Behind him, Zee bested the other Predator, throwing him into a tree then in the blink of an eye he was standing over me, hissing menacingly at the Big Bad, unaware that this Predator wouldn't hurt me. They snarled at one another, I gripped the Predators wrist and touched the side of Zee's face, shaking my head as they both looked down at me.

I coughed and tasted copper, dropping my hands to my chest. I shivered. Fuck it was cold.

Zee suddenly crouched over me while the Predator shot to his feet, blades at the ready. Our enemies were back on their feet, bloody and angry as they roared. Big Bad stood taller than the other two and settled himself into an aggressive posture, challenging them. The air became filled with furious clicks and snarls. And I realized they were talking to one another.

Whatever the exchange it didn't seem to matter as Big Bad slid a heavy bladed weapon from its sheath, drawing my attention to his sculpted backside. Not bad for a creature with mandibles. He was beautiful. Despite how alien- okay let's be serious here. Despite how fucking ugly his face probably was I still found him beautiful. Sleek. Powerful. _Mine._

I held onto that last thought as the numbness spread to every cell and I began to feel weightless.

* * *

 **Halkraths (Shadows) POV**

The kiande amehda at his back keened, a sound he's never heard such creatures make before. Halkrath turned and saw his mate's eyes slip shut. Rage consumed him, so hot the warrior thought he might burn alive. Halkrath understood the mei'hsweis had been tricked into going after his mate yet it did nothing to mitigate the bloodlust.

He charged both of them, his blood singing as he cut off the head of the one who'd killed his mate. The other brother, Ka'zida, roared with rage at the sudden loss of his mei'hswei but backed up, barely managing to dodge as Halkrath came for him. Ka'zida roared again, he would go out fighting, running was dishonorable. He charged Halkrath with his spear but suddenly found himself yanked to a stop as the kiande amehda's tail pierced his back and burst out of his chest. The younger Yautja warrior barely managed a snarl before Halkrath, the older and stronger male attacked. Ka'zida registered the glint of the Maul blade then nothing.

The Yautja's head rolled off and thumped against the ground while the kiande amehda thrust the rest of the body from its tail. The kiande amedha chuffed then leant his head in the direction of the ooman making that odd keening noise again.

Halkrath made his way over to her. Knelt beside her and gingerly lifted her off the muddy ground. His bio helmet sifted quickly through different spectrums and filters, it took the warrior by surprise to see her heart still intact. The blade had missed and the breath in Halkrath chest froze as her heart beat once. Then twice. Not dead. But very close to it.

Halkrath did not even hesitate as he yanked the bio helmet off and bit into the palm of his hand until he tasted blood and it spilled out of the wound. Giving an ooman the blood of a Yautja is even more taboo than mating one. A Yautja's blood would become highly sought after if oomans ever learned of its healing and longevity properties. Although he feared he was already too late.

The kiande amedha hissed at him and Halkrath growled back not caring if the creature understood what he was doing. Gently he pried open her mouth and massage her throat with his thumb to try and get her to swallow. To weak.

Halkrath growled. Not weak. His mate was _not_ weak!

"Tesssa..."

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **Ah, suspense. You hate it and you love it! Also just FYI this story is coming to an end soon. It's been a real thrill writing it and reading the reviews gave me pride. So thank you all for your kind words! And also the favs and follows. Hope the readers enjoyed the update. Sorry for mistakes.**

 **Kiande amedha: Xenomorph**

 **Cetune: God of death**

 **Ooman: Human**

 **Mei'hswei: Brother**

 **Maul: A heavy bladed weapon like a thick broad sword with the hilt situated like a nightstick, perpendicular to the blade.**

 **P.S. Although the story will end soon I am seriously debating a rewrite. I feel as though I missed many opportunities in this story and would like to make it better. No promises but I am considering it.**


	16. Chapter 16

**I Am Machine**

 _It's hot... oh god I died and this is hell!_

My brows pinched and I moaned, trying to move away from the scorching heat. I hissed. It hurt to move. Why did it hurt?

A familiar scent tickled my nose, the smell of an angry lightning storm. It drew me back to the source of heat and I pressed myself into something solid, enthralled by the distinctive scent. Vibrations skittered along my flesh as the solid wall I'd pressed myself into began to... purr? Only one creature purred and smelled like this.

My eyes cracked open and I smiled into the thick muscular chest, dragging my eyes up and rolling them upon meeting the soulless eye slits of the freaking helmet. But damn it felt good to wake up for once and not instantly have to be on alert. I felt safe. A feeling I so rarely felt even while traveling with a Xenomorph.

"Hey Big Bad," I said, voice scratchy and small. Resting on his side, his massive body blocked me from seeing anything else but the smell and the feel made it easy to assume we were in a cave of some kind. The sun was up too and its light filtered in from the opening further behind him. Modesty was not something his kind seemed to concern themselves with as he lay next to me, almost completely bare except for the gods-honest leather loincloth under a woven chainmail-like codpiece covering his male bits. We must've been here awhile if he felt the need to remove his armor.

 _Me Tarzan. You Jane._ I snickered at the thought and instantly regretted it as pain radiated from my chest. Big Bad cocked his head in confusion and trilled at me.

 _Yeah, Tarzan's got nothing on this guy... and Jane's boobs filled out a leopard skin bra!_

I touched my chest and gave the Predator laying beside me a tiny glare before continuing my inspection of the bindings around my chest. Once again the bastard had stripped me only this time he'd taken almost everything off, except for the torn pants. Thank the gods! It was kind of hard to be mad about it, though. He'd done it to address my wounds and once again save my life. Although the chances of being hunted by his kind for a second time in my humanly short life seemed astronomical and I had to wonder if it was somehow his fault.

My fingers brushed the wounds and my mind instantly flashed on the twin blades sliding into my chest. How the hell had I survived that?

I glanced up at the Predator, "I should be dead."

He growled, his free hand taking hold of my hip and pulling me flush against him. I yelped at the sudden movement as pain seared my nerve endings like a branding iron. He let go, hand hovering but not touching. Apparently, for a split moment, he'd forgotten the differences in our strength. Maybe the females of his planet could handle that type of roughness but I was human. A human who just cheated death. Again.

Movement came from somewhere beside me and I turned my head, peering into the darker corners of the cave. Stray bands of light shimmered over Zee's sloping skull as he stalked closer. My eyes widened, marveling at the deep red stripes blending into his obsidian skin and the spines running a path down the middle of his head. The physical evolutionary changes were breathtaking. The big Xenomorph inclined his head at the Predator and hissed. The Predator growled in return, the vibrations causing gooseflesh to sprout along my skin.

"I'm fine Zee."

The big Xenomorph chuffed and a subtle trimmer rippled over his black tiger striped hide. Zee slunk back into the darkness, bled into it, completely disappearing from sight. I blinked and shrugged it off as a trick of the light. My eyes wandered over every inch of the cave from my vantage point but I could no longer see the Xenomorph nor any sign the others were here at all.

 _Katie... Claire..._ I hoped like hell they were alright. They'd gotten away I was sure of that but I had no idea what happened after I lost consciousness. I closed my eyes remembering Call being torn apart and shivered thinking how easily that could've been me.

Big Bad began to purr softly again, perhaps sensing my unease and sadness. Death seemed to follow me where ever I go, picking off my friends one by one. The Predator laid his hand back on my hip, gently kneading the flesh there, mindful of his claws.

"Tessssa."

I blinked, gaze snapping back up to his face.

 _He said my name._

I smiled, reached up with my good hand and flicked the bottom of the helmet playfully, eliciting a growl from him. "Take that damn thing off."

He cocked his head and made a serious of fast clicks, chest shuttering with a deep sound. This time, I cocked my head but quickly realized I'd made him laugh. I didn't know whether to smile or to scowl at that. I settled on raising an expectant brow.

The hand kneading my flesh released me, the spot felt freezing with the loss of his blistering heat. He reached up and jerked a small hose out of the helmet, air hissing from the disconnect. Even after seeing the other Predators face it was still a shock. His appearance was just so... _alien_. Then again he probably thought the same thing about me. I imagined the females of his home world were big and muscular too. Hell, even they probably had boobs and curves whereas I resembled a stick figure drawn by a five-year-old.

"What's your name?"

Did he understand without the helmet? I couldn't just keep referring to him as _my_ Predator or Big Bad, even if both were true.

His deep-set yellow orbs stared for a long moment, brow ridge hooding them in consideration or possibly confusion.

"Nracha-dte Halkrath," he said, his voice deep and rumbly like thunder. I felt my brow raise. Had that been in English? It sounded as though his name was lost in translation but I would try my best.

"Ner-ach de hulkr-ath," I sounded it out and instantly felt a blush creep up my neck. Okay, that had been embarrassing.

His chest shook and the blush intensified as he laughed softly. I scowled and directed my gaze at his chest.

"Sssshadow."

I peeked at his face. Shadow?

"Shadow?" I echoed in question.

He nodded. Rapping his fist against his chest. "Sssshadow."

Understanding dawned, "Your name? I'm guessing that's the human translation?"

Again he nodded.

 _Shadow..._ I liked it. Smiling I reached up and touched his cheek, laughing silently as his purr intensified. "Shadow."

Shadow closed his eyes, his hand returning to my hip. I took a moment to really look at him. No way around it the guy was ugly as sin but I found myself attracted to him in spite of this. Maybe ugly wasn't the right term because there was a kind of beauty to him as well. Strange but true and I had to assume he felt the same way otherwise he wouldn't be here.

Between trying not to die and well... trying not to die I hadn't taken the time to examine the Predators from before besides their hulking size and eagerness to kill me. But now that I thought about it there were definitely differences. The other two had been shorter and their coloring had been lighter. Where they had been a solid dark olive, Shadow was almost black not a solid black but almost brindle with red and orange hues. The color lightened drastically around his chest and belly, showing off those impressively sculpted chest and abdominal muscles. I imagine his race was just as diverse as our own.

Shadow didn't have the facial quill-like hairs Red had but the mandibles were the same, each with its own tusk. His tusks had markings carved into them and I wondered if it had something to do with rank. My brows drew together as I noticed a scar just above his right eye ridge. The scar appeared as though it had been purposely etched into his skin. A mark of some kind. I traced the mark and Shadows yellow orbs cracked open to observe me.

The longer he stared the more aware I became of our proximity, my lack of clothing and the fact that he'd basically seen me naked. Wounded as I was we weren't going to be doing the naked-horizontal-alien-tango anytime soon but it still left me feeling body shy anyway. He'd seen me almost completely naked and I couldn't help but wonder what he thought.

 _Scrawny hairless ape probably._

* * *

 **Shadows POV**

The ooman in his arms kept squirming, her heat signature growing hotter around her chest and head. Halkrath knew very little of ooman physiology and he wondered briefly if she were becoming ill despite her rapid recovery rate. Curious he touched her cheek, the reaction he got the hunter had not expected. The females heat signature brightened accompanied by a spike of arousal. Her pheromones assaulted his senses evoking a strong physical reaction. A low guttural growl shook his entire being as he fought the urge to do something as savage as ripping her remaining garments off and mounting her while she was still recovering.

The hunter wrenched himself away, getting to his feet just as the oomans pet kiande amedha moved out of the shadows, giving Halkrath a warning hiss. He growled back at the kiande amedha, well aware he'd almost lost control and moved for the mouth of the cave to get some fresh air. His mate was wounded and leaving her alone drew forth a snarl from him but at the moment she was safer in the company of her pet than in his.

* * *

 **TKs POV**

 _Oh-my-god is that his-_

Shadow shot up from his position next to me on the ground and gave me his back. A menacing growl split the air and my eyes widened at the way his back muscles tensed and contracted over and over as if he were fighting some great internal battle. A hiss drew my gaze and I found Zee hovering very close, the way he does when sensing danger. I blinked between the two imposing predators as they exchanged warnings between one another and felt completely lost. I'd caused this but I had no clue how.

With a final growl at Zee, Shadow slipped his helmet back on and exited the cave. For one heart-stopping second, I thought he was leaving me again but shook the paranoia away. He'd returned for a reason and the evidence had been pretty damn obvious a moment ago when I'd somehow elicited such a strong physical response from the Predator. He wanted me. Wanted me bad enough I'd given him a raging hard on by just... wait- what had I done to provoke such a reaction?

I stared down at myself.

 _Well, we know it wasn't my raisins. Hmmm..._

Zee silently slunk closer, surprising the hell out of me when his wet muzzle touched my cheek. I jumped and may have squeaked but recovered fast enough and gave him a hotty look.

"Damn it, Zee! Could you tone down the ninja thing?!" I groused, wiping slobber from my cheek.

He huffed and laid down next to me, part of his body in a patch of light. Apparently, the sunlight bothered him even less now and it drew my attention to the remarkable coloring of his hide. Breathtaking. I am the only human in existence who can truly attest to the beauty of a Xenomorph. No one will ever be able to get this close, be able to touch without fear of instant death. Except for maybe Katie.

 _Katie..._

Tentatively, I ran my fingers over the spines along Zee's sloping skull. The Xenomorph had stayed to make sure I was okay and it probably killed him to do so. Not knowing where his mate was... I think I understood how that felt. A frown furrowed my brow. How long had I been out? The wounds in my chest were nearly closed but how much of that had been my own natural ability to heal?

"I'm alright Zee."

His head inclined in my direction.

"I'm safe with Shadow."

Zee chuffed as if to say 'that's debatable' and I smiled. However when I considered his situation further the smile faltered, sliding into an expression of worry. The big Xenomorph was the last thing Katie wanted to see or have following her. The girl was too young to understand what Zee felt and I highly doubted she would appreciate him being around without me there as a buffer. Our little fucked up family had been doomed from the start to be perfectly honest. Even if April and Call had lived eventually we would've all gone our separate ways. My lifestyle was too dangerous and for now, the Company may think I perished in the blast of their compound, but if I stayed eventually they'd figure out otherwise. Katie and Claire would then become targets once more.

"Zee," I stared at him intently, caressed his braincase, "If you want to go after her I will not hold you back but I don't think it would be wise of me to follow."

I also had to think of Shadow. His kind killed to keep their existence a secret and I wasn't sure what he would do if he knew Katie and Claire had seen the other two. There were too many rumors already floating about when it came to Predators. The last thing humans needed was for Weyland-Yutani to learn to much or worse manage to get their greedy paws on one. Though I think after what happened Katie and Claire knew better than to go blabbing about such dangerous creatures. Not unless they wanted to garner the attention of the Company or other Predators. Also, I highly doubted Shadow would be pleased if he had to follow around a group of humans. Katie and Claire may miss me but I don't think they'd be too broken up about my sudden departure. The look Katie gave me when I killed April would forever be burned behind my retinas.

Zee keened softly, leaned his head into my chest. I wrapped my arms as best I could around his head. Tears pricked at the back of my eyes because his decision was obvious which meant I was losing a friend. My best friend in fact. One of the only ones I've ever had. Hopefully, this was not goodbye forever but if it was I wanted to spend the last few daylight hours I had with him and reflect.

"You and I have been through hell together." I gingerly pulled away, hissing as it pained me to get in a better sitting position. "I wouldn't have survived without you, Zee."

He chuffed, pushing himself up until he sat on his hind quarters. The big Xeno rested his head atop mine gently, breathing me in and just sitting quietly.

"This'll be a new adventure for both of us." I patted the side of his head and he released a long-winded sigh that ruffled my hair. "Zee don't forget Katie is still very young and as much as it pains me to state the obvious she really hates you."

He hissed angrily and I smacked the top of his head.

"I'm serious Zee. Don't you ever hurt her, even if it hurts you to let her go."

He jerked back, getting nose to nose with me and hissed, his hot breath fanning my face. I glowered at him and bared my teeth. "Zee," I said warningly.

He huffed as if it was meant as a scoff and swiveled his head away. I sighed, not wanting to end things on a bad note. "Just be careful, alright?"

* * *

 **Shadows POV**

The hunter crouched high in the trees, surveying the area around the lair. Yaujta naturally preferred to be off the ground. It gives them the advantage and most prey or other adversaries don't think to look up. The hunter gazed down at the hidden entrance of the cave, unwilling or more accurately unable to go further. He'd been out of her presence so long that now his mate had him trapped in her own gravitational pull. Halkrath knew he would not be able to fight it now nor did he have any desire to do so. The moment he scented her blood on the air three moons ago any remaining doubt fled him. The ooman was his mate. Tessa was his mate.

A rather bizarre turn of events for his life. Only a small percent of Yautja were considered to be Elite and often went on to become the leaders of their clans. Halkrath had killed a queen kiande amedha and taken its th'syra long before his encounter with his mate but thanks to her the hunter had killed two queens. The hunter was in a position to take over as the leader and at one point he longed for this path but now he would live in isolation, away from the clan with his mate. Never to return to his homeworld or the clanship.

Shadow leaped from the branch, landing with a soundless predatory grace that belied his size. Approaching quietly out of habit and stepping into the cool interior of the cave only to be struck once again by the power of his mate's scent. He could smell her from outside too but in here her scent had collected and clung to the air. His body tightened in response and it took every ounce of willpower he could muster not to get swept away in her gravitational force and pounce.

The kiande amedha hissed distracting the hunter momentarily from his internal struggles. He moved further in and rounded a slight turn only to stop abruptly as soon as he caught sight of his mate. She was standing. Leaning heavily on the combistick but standing none the less. But it wasn't her unusual strength that made him pause it was the expression she bore on her face. This tiny ooman female stared down the kiande amedha with a fierceness that put some of his own kind to shame. Halkrath didn't understand what passed between the two or what led to this standoff but he couldn't deny the pride that swelled in his chest to see his mate bare her teeth in the face of such a formidable opponent. The kiande amedha hissed and she growled right back not the least bit cowed.

Halkrath's mandibles twitched, despite the daunting physical difference his little ooman forced the kiande amedha to relent first. The alien chuffed and turned its sloping head in the hunter's direction. Not so much a submission as the kiande amedha seemed to realize he wouldn't win. Halkrath felt the kiande amedha's attention turn on him which drew his mate's attention as well. Her expression softened upon seeing him but quickly changed into a look of confusion as she cocked her head at him.

"Shadow?"

In that moment Halkrath knew he'd won the ultimate trophy. Something much more valuable than any title or rank could ever mean. He started for her then paused. Halkrath understood what he felt but a Yaujta's instincts were far more... primal than an oomans. This whole time he'd been calling her his mate without question yet he wondered if she would reciprocate with the same vehemence or at all. He smelled her spike of desire earlier but Halkrath had no clue about ooman customs and mating rituals. Oomans could be just as detached as Yautja's when it came to mating.

This line of thinking angered him because Yautja so rarely found life mates and of course he ends up being mated to an ooman, a species he knew so little about other than they made worthy prey.

"Shadow..."

The hunter blinked and looked down, surprised to find his mate had moved without his notice and was standing right in front of him. Her face taut in lines of concern. His little ooman mate barely reached his chest yet when he met those cerulean orbs, a spectrum he could not see without his bio-mask, Halkrath felt powerless. He touched her cheek and steeled his resolve. No matter their cultural or physical difference she would be his.

* * *

 **TKs POV**

Shadow touched my face and I felt the heat of his intense gaze even through the soulless slits of the helmet. I stared up at him in confusion. Zee hissed behind me, pissed that I was still standing. It cost me a lot of energy to be upright but I hated sitting on my ass, even if I am recovering from a near death experience. The itch to move and stay moving always road shotgun in my mind. Ares kept me steady but eventually I would lose the battle and have to rest again. All things considered, though, I wasn't doing too bad for someone who got skewered by two blades longer than my forearms. I still didn't understand the process of my miraculous recovery but I had a suspicion I owed Shadow a lot more than I realized. Even if Call had been right about my DNA, and a small part of me grudgingly thinks she is, I still shouldn't have been able to survive a wound like that.

Hoping to break the awkwardness we somehow ended up in I hesitantly reached up and flicked the bottom of his helmet, earning an annoyed growl. I chuckled softly at his reaction then sucked in a breath as he took a step forward and loomed over me, so close the heat of his skin scorched mine. Making me think better about teasing him.

A growl rumbled in his chest the kind of sound you hear crocodiles make. I took a hasty step back, lost my footing and would've gone sprawling if not for the hand that shot out to grab me. My body collided into his and he held me up with ease against him. His chest shook as if thunder were trapped in his ribcage, mandibles clicking rapidly. Laughter.

I stared up at him wide-eyed and suddenly peeved. The bastard just punked me.

A squeak of surprise escaped me as he lifted me, took Ares from my hand and carried me back to where I'd been laying. He set me down gingerly, all prior amusement gone as he examined my arm. Zee sidled up a little closer to observe. The acid burn was completely scabbed over to my amazement and showing signs of pink scarring around the edges. I would have a crater-like scar on my forearm for the rest of my life but at least I still had my arm.

Shadow reached for the bindings across my chest and I smacked his hand away, face flaming. Why I was so embarrassed I had no idea because the guy had already seen my boyish body. Shadow was different from all the asstards I fucked in the past. I'd had sex with those men in order to survive so I didn't give a rip what they thought but Shadow... I gave a shit. Damn.

He growled at me and I stared him down as best I could with that stupid helmet on. Zee hissed, suddenly at my side as well.

"Traitor," I growled at the big Xeno. Feeling outnumbered I blew out a breath and gave up, letting Shadow unwrap the bindings. A blush crept up my neck but I kept my eyes firmly planted on those slits in his helmet. He made an odd sound in the back of his throat and I raised my brows, following his line of sight.

The entry and exit wounds had been closed via those odd staples he used on me once before. The blades had been serrated and left the wound ragged looking but it seemed to be healing just fine. Gingerly I traced the outer edge, hissing because the flesh was tender.

"How long was I unconscious?" I asked abruptly. Because there was no way this healed overnight no matter how much my DNA might've been fucked with.

He titled his head, those fleshy dreadlock-like appendages swept over his thick shoulder.

"Three moons," he said, voice rumbly and deep. The human language did not roll naturally off his tongue but his speech seemed better than the first time we spoke.

"Three nights?"

He gave a single nod of confirmation.

My brows raised in astonishment, "How is this-" I touched the closing wounds in my chest. "-possible?"

Shadow stilled which seemed impossible considering the guy sat like perfectly carved granite. Soft clicking came from inside the helmet as if he were muttering to himself. Was he afraid to tell me or was he not permitted?

He held up a hand and I stared in confusion till I noticed the fresh pink scars on his palm. Gingerly I grabbed his palm and traced the recently healed wounds, thinking it looked like a savage animal bit him.

"Yautja blood strong. Heal ooman wounds quickly."

"Yautja?"

He wrapped on his chest with his other fist.

"Oh, Yautja is what you are."

A brisk nod.

"So an ooman is what? A human?"

Again a nod.

I put what he said together and my brows raised in astonishment. "You fed me your blood and it helped heal me?"

He grunted which I took as confirmation.

"Nifty trick. Guess it helps to have blood like that since judging by your scars you hunt a lot of big game."

He seemed to sit taller, chest puffing out as I absently traced a thick scar running from his wrist to the bend of his elbow. Pride radiated from him. I smiled, tracing another scar along his chest which earned me a soft purr. Shadow mirrored my movements, the point of one his claws running the length of the scar from my hip to just under my breast. And I suddenly remembered I was sitting almost naked in front of him. Gooseflesh sprouted along my skin as my heart went wild. Shadow sucked in a breath of air and pulled his hand away as if I'd burned him. Beneath my hand, his skin became scorching hot and I dragged in a ragged breath as my body reacted almost painfully.

With a low growl, Shadow pushed me back down and a hot jolt of excitement shot straight to my core as he leaned over me. Behind the mask, I could hear the harsh intake of his breathing, watched as his body stiffened and the claws that began to tug at the remnants of my jeans pause. I didn't want him to stop.

I sucked in a harsh breath as he released me completely, skin cold with the sudden loss of his heat.

"Rest," he ordered, voice a deeper growl than before. "Still injured."

I scoffed and tried to get back up but the pain in my chest sent me right back to the ground with a groan.

He huffed and shook his head, dreads swaying slightly. I blinked, drinking in the sight of him. All of him. The proof of his need standing proudly out of the curtain of the loin cloth as if to take a bow before the highly anticipated show. And I was definitely riveted in my place, suspended between desire and fear. Hung like a horse no longer applied to humans as far as I was concerned.

Shadow laughed softly and I realized I was gaping like an idiot. He enjoyed being eye fucked though and it was evident in the way his muscles contracted and relaxed. And the way his cocked swelled even more.

 _Dear god I might die but damn what a way to go!_

His broad shoulders shook in silent mirth as he headed out of the cave for a second time, giving me an eye full of his delicious backside. I laid back against the cool earth wishing like hell I could take a cold shower.

Zee hissed and I smacked my face, eyeing the Xeno from between my fingers. I'd totally forgotten Zee was even there. Embarrassing.

"Sorry Zee," I said sheepishly. The big Xeno slipped out of the deeper shadow and settled himself next to me. Head swiveling towards the mouth of the cave. I followed his line of sight watching as Shadow slipped on his armor before disappearing from sight. The light outside was dwindling and so was my time with Zee.

The atmosphere became depressing and I don't do depressing. Smiling I wagged my brows at the big Xenomorph, already fighting down a laugh because I knew exactly how he'd react.

"Highway to hell-" I barely managed to belt out the chorus of the song before the Xenomorph gave me a warning hiss. I laughed and continued to laugh as my vision began to blur and my chest hurt. Laughed until I choked and couldn't see past the tears. Zee pressed his sloping head between the junction of my neck and shoulder. Sniffling I laid a hand on top of his muzzle as he sat there quietly.

"Zee?"

He shifted but didn't lift his head from its spot against my neck.

"You're getting drool on me," I smiled as his tail thumped the ground in irritation. "You be careful, got it? I won't be there to save your ass anymore."

He chuffed, the heat of his breath fanning my neck.

"Zee," I glanced at his braincase in my periphery as my voice lost its subtle humor. "Don't ever let them take you alive."

He lifted his head and I looked up at him, hoping he saw the seriousness and worry. The Company probably wouldn't come after him but then again they weren't known for being very smart. I trusted Zee. Knew he was capable of protecting himself. Except he wanted to pursue Katie which put him at greater risk for being discovered or caught. If he were to be captured they'd do a lot more than just simply gather data from his DNA.

Zee tilted his head but I sensed he understood my concern as he laid his muzzle back against my shoulder and hissed softly. Eventually, I fell into a dreamless sleep next to the big Xenomorph and woke up alone some time later. The dwindling light of dusk left the cave draped in murky shadows and I shivered. A dull ache that had nothing to do with my wounds spread through my chest as I stared forlornly at the cave entrance.

 _Goodbye, Zee..._

A tall figure suddenly stood silhouetted in front of the mouth of the cave and I felt him watching me. He seemed hesitant or unsure but I wasn't. I wanted him here.

"Shadow." The moment I breathed his name, whatever thoughts plagued him disappeared. He slowly stalked towards me, his powerful strides long and purposeful. Shadow laid down beside me, wrapped an arm around me and pulled me flush against him and began to purr. The sound soothed my aching heart while the heat of his body chased away the chill of the night. I curled into him, blushing slightly as my bare chest touched his, causing his purr to falter momentarily. The hand holding me to him tightened but after a moment the purring continued and eventually lulled me back into unconsciousness.

* * *

 **A/N:** **Hey, gang so I'm wrapping up this story in a few more chapters. Admittedly I don't feel this chapter was one of my best but I couldn't keep rewriting it. I'm not good with squishy romance but I am trying. Zee is gone -please don't kill me! But you never know what the future holds. Sorry for mistakes and I hope everyone enjoyed the chapter.**

 **Th'syra: Skull**

 **Kiande amedha: Hard meat**

 **Ooman: Human**


	17. Chapter 17

**Drive Me Wild**

The loss of Zee hit me hard the next day when I woke and found myself alone in the cave. It was warm, early morning maybe but it was hard to tell with the raging storm that cast everything in deep shadow. The rain pelted the earth and echoed deafeningly in the hollow of the cave. The storm itself didn't scare me, it was the darkness. An old fear I've never gotten over. For a time I forgot to be afraid with Zee around, but he wasn't here anymore and neither was Shadow for that matter.

 _Where could he have gone?_

Lightning flashed, lighting the world around me in stark brilliance and ruining my night vision. It plunged me back into a blurry black fog, with a clap of thunder so loud it sounded as though a shotgun had been fired next to my head.

Fear seized my lungs, stole my breath and had me curling into a ball. Zee was gone. He was really gone. I whimpered, the ache in my soul far worse than the wounds in my chest. Letting him go had been the right thing to do. Even if Shadow had never come along I wouldn't have been able to remain with Katie and Claire. I'd hurt Katie. The death of April regardless of the incubating alien that would've ultimately taken her life was my fault. The Company would never stop hunting me and humans just couldn't defend themselves the way Zee or Shadow could. My hope was that the Company assumed I'd died in the blast but it was only a matter of time until someone- or more likely facial recognition software picked me up, proving otherwise.

 _It was for the best._

For them maybe but as the rain came down harder and the darkness closed in around me I had to wonder if I'd made a grave error in judgment.

Fear clasped my heart and I yelp as hands gripped me and I fought until a familiar purr stopped me dead. My gaze snapped up, blinking rapidly to clear the blur of tears as I stared up at the dark figure. I sniffled, feeling utterly humiliated as lightning once again stole my night vision and I buried my face in Shadows chest. Showing weakness in front of him left me cold inside but I couldn't seem to get a grip. Everyone has a breaking point. I just never would've guessed mine would be over the loss of a Xenomorph.

Shadow wrapped an arm under the back of my knees and the other across my shoulders and settled me on his lap. The purring intensified as he held me quietly. Hands clenching and unclenched against my skin as though he were angry.

Had I angered him with my display of weakness? Or was taking care of a fragile human becoming too much of a burden? Shadow didn't strike me as someone who was afraid of anything, let alone the dark. Such a childish fear, yet it made me human. Shadow's species, though vastly more advanced than humans, were driven by primal and animalistic instincts. Something humans shed along time ago when we domesticated ourselves.

 _Perhaps we are just too different to be compatible? Too_ alien _for one another._ I swallowed at the thought. Afraid for a completely different reason altogether now. Fear of the darkness faded as the heat of his body hummed along my skin. Awe stole over me as I realized this magnificent and terrifying predator held me as though I were glass. If he were getting tired of me then why would he do such a thing?

With trembling fingers, I ran my free hand over his powerfully built chest. Where the pads of his hands were rough and calloused, the flesh along his chest was smooth. Not slimy or amphibious but something akin to dragon scales perhaps, not that I knew what dragon scales felt like, I just imagined it would be something similar to this. My fingers brushed over one of his many scars and I felt the subtle hitch in his breath. I hesitated over it then traced my figures across the raised flesh. His purr deepened as if he enjoyed the attention I gave the old wound.

* * *

 **Shadow's POV**

Halkrath took care not to hurt his mate as he pulled her much smaller body to him. Oomans were so fragile, yet he often forgot this when dealing with his own mate because she'd always been so capable of protecting herself. So it came as a shock to him during his hunt for sustenance that he scented her fear and returned hastily to find her curled up. The sight of her so vulnerable and the overpowering reek of fear angered Halkrath because he did not understand.

His fists clenched and unclenched against her soft skin, causing her muscles to jump and twitch. It took him a moment to notice that the source of her fear seemed to change. His ire scared her, confusing Halkrath even more. He examined her carefully, the bio-mask made it easier to see her face but the emotions running rampant a crossed it were lost on him.

Her small hand tentatively began to traverse his chest and Halkrath found it rather ironic that she reversed their roles and now was attempting to calm him instead of the other way around. She found a scar with a particularly memorable and honorable fight behind it, encouraging her to explore it as he instinctively purred louder. He swelled with pride as she traced it and hoped to enthrall her with the tale of the mighty battle he fought to earn it but not now. Right now he wanted to understand why she'd been so afraid. Protecting his mate came before his pride as an adept hunter.

"Tesssa..."

She inclined her head up but Halkrath knew she couldn't really see him all that well in the gloom. The hunter noticed the delicate curve of her throat, distracted momentarily by the mesmerizing way her pulse jumped with the subtlest shift of his body. He continued to watch the pulse point as he spoke, wondering what it might taste like, and intrigued by the way he affected her.

"Smell of fear... why?"

Her body stiffened against him and her pulse spiked, beating against her skin in the most tantalizing way. He wanted to taste it but fought down the urge. He realized the weight of what he was asking of her. To reveal one's fears is like rolling onto your back and exposing your belly to a predator. She would be giving him a kind of power over her but it would also mean she trusted him to protect her.

She looked away from him as if ashamed and he growled softly in warning.

Without looking at him, she took a breath and said, "The dark."

 _The dark?_

Not the response he'd expected, especially since he'd never noticed it before. A thought occurred to him and Halkrath huffed in irritation. Did his own mate feel safer in the company of a tarei hsan than him? The kiande amedha had abandoned her. Surely she knew he would not do the same.

The hunter tensed because he suddenly realized she may not understand what she was to him. Hell did oomans even take mates? Halkrath cursed his limited knowledge and vowed to go through every piece of information the Yautja have learned about oomans.

"Shadow?"

The hunter blinked and the growl of irritation thrumming in his chest faded as his mate's worried tone snapped him out of his thoughts. He glanced down at her and really looked at her, breathing in her heady scent. His eyes hungrily took her in, not even the least bit concerned that she was ooman. Female Yautja were big. Bigger than most males and just as muscularly built with large mammary glands for sucklings. Tessa, though the complete opposite being small and thin still held his attention more than any female of his kind.

"I'm not afraid now."

Shadow jerked his gaze back to her face and indeed he found no fear there. She trusted him. This understanding drew a contented purr from the hunter. His arms flexed, drawing her closer and relishing in the feel of her chest against his own. Shadow's body reacted, his cock hardening as her breath ghosted over his skin. Paya he wanted her so badly but he heard the hiss escape her lips as her wounds protested to his not so gentle reaction.

 _Pauk!_ He cursed himself. A lesser Yautja would've lost control already and taken her whether she wanted it or not but Halkrath refused to be a slave to instinctual desire to make her his. For now. But for how long was the question. The smart thing to do would be to leave and violently take out his frustrations with a good fight. However now that he understood her fear of the dark, as baffling as it was to him, he couldn't leave.

The hunter switched on the bio masks filters, minimizing her scent and increasing the odds that he wouldn't do something stupid.

"Sleep," he commanded briskly. The feel of her eyes on him did not help and the sooner she recovered the sooner he could bury himself inside her and claim her completely.

* * *

 **TK's POV**

After spending a few more days recovering the itch to get moving became too much. Shadow agreed although I felt his watchful gaze on me with every move I made and every breath I breathed. Mother henning at its most terrifying.

The night was cool. The scent of another oncoming storm road the back of the wind. Silence, stretched between us as I followed close behind, barely able to keep up with his long strides. It wasn't uncomfortable but I kept the talking to a minimum because agitated energy rolled off the big guy in waves and even at this distance my skin prickled. For now, I thought it best to leave the broody male to his own thoughts and not interfere. I liked my spine where it was thank you. Not that I thought he'd really hurt me but I had no clue where his state of mind was or how it got there but I had this sinking suspicion that I may be the cause. Can't imagine why, though.

We'd had an altercation earlier before finally leaving the shelter of the cave. I'd found the remnants of my bra and nearly had a conniption. Shadow had the ability to cloak himself but the hooks on a bra were beyond warp science apparently. He didn't understand my annoyance and I tried to explain that I'd have a better chance discovering a unicorn before finding another bra. Then it led into this weird conversation about unicorns and what they are and eventually I gave up because he became too interested in the horn of a unicorn and where he could mount the skull. Little girls from all over the universe would ban together and bludgeon him to death.

Watching his backside, and it was a nice backside I might add, the muscles there kept jumping and tensing. The moon cast an odd glow upon the world between the clouds and I found myself enthralled by the way the shadows seemed to dance when those muscles shifted and bunched. My brow pinched in worry. What had I done?

Feeling very at fault I turned my eyes away and focused on the topography around us. The forest seemed to be thinning and I found us walking through a glade. The mountain, though I had no idea which, speared the sky above with towering peaks. The ground grew packed and hard beneath our feet. Obviously, the terrain was changing again and I wondered where we were.

Caught up in my musings, I ran nose first into a wall of flesh and growled in annoyance as I took a step back from Shadow. He'd done that creepy thing where he just appears like some sort of freaking poltergeist. Seriously I was gonna have to tie a bell around his neck.

"Shadow-"

His hand cupped the back of my skull, drawing my gaze up. "Tesssa you are moving too ssslow. Injuries giving you trouble?"

I gaped. That had to be the longest stretch of words in English that he's ever spoken. My brain caught up to what he said and I frowned. "N-no I'm fine. I just got lost in thought that's all."

His head tilted and I noticed his demeanor had changed. The agitation was still there but it seemed subdued at the moment. As if his concern for me overrode whatever had been troubling him.

"Where are we going?" I asked and not for the first time either. He kept dodging the question and like an idiot I blindly continued to follow him.

"Not far."

Anger flashed hot in my chest as his hand dropped and he began to turn away from me. I grabbed his forearm and gripped hard enough to leave crescent moons from my nails. I may not have the strength to spin him back around but I'd gotten his attention none the less. "What's your damage Shadow? Why aren't you telling me anything? What-" I paused and stared at his back. "-what the hell are we even doing?!"

He whirled, grabbed me and yanked me to him. A growl emanated from his chest, vibrating across my skin like a zillion angry insects. I stared up into the empty slits of his helmet in confusion.

"What do you want from me?" I asked, voice barely audible as fear seized my insides.

The cadence of the growl changed as if he were annoyed with himself. Shadow took my small hand, and a gasp of surprise escaped me as he suddenly placed it on the throbbing head of his cock. The feel of it shocked me and sent a jolt of electricity straight to my core.

"S-shadow..."

He leaned down and the hand at the base of my skull kept me from moving. "Mate bond."

Okay, now I was really confused. "Huh?"

I sensed his growing frustration at trying to find the right words. "Yautja do not mate oomans."

Taken aback by this I automatically pulled away. He growled in warning, not allowing me to step away or even relinquish my tentative hold on his swollen member.

"Find mate... is like Tesssa finding unicorn."

I stared at him in confusion, even though a small part of me wanted to laugh at the ridiculous unicorn analogy.

"Tessssa is Halkraths mate."

My eyes widened and I licked suddenly very dry lips. "So what you're saying is Yautja rarely find mates and I'm guessing being with a human is frowned upon?"

A sharp single nod.

"But you..." I worried my lip between my teeth for a second. "But you're saying that I'm your mate?"

Again a sharp nod.

"How do you know?"

He pulled me flush against him. Shadow was so much taller than me that his cock pressed into my ribs. It pulsated and I felt a blush creep up my cheeks.

A guttural growl rumbled in his chest and he pressed me even harder against him until I thought I might slip under his scorching skin.

"Mine," he growled. "When I left planet- left my mate behind I almost lost control and would've killed to get you back."

Well, a woman doesn't get to hear that kind of declaration every day. It did clear up a lot of questions, though. Like why he saved my ass so many times and why he reacted so strongly towards me. A normal human woman might've rejected the idea considered how much we actually knew about one another and the daunting differences between our species but I'm far from normal. My instincts have also been spot on and that probably had a lot to do with whatever had been done to my DNA. Perhaps this was also the reason why I felt this bond just as strongly as he did.

I couldn't see his eyes but I felt his apprehension. The helmet made it impossible to read his facial expressions so I would take my cues a different way. I gripped the head of his cock and gave it an experimental squeeze. The reaction I got was instantaneous, almost violent as Shadow roared and I found myself pinned between the trunk of a tree and his body. He'd moved so fast I hadn't seen or felt him move. His engorged cock practically spearing my belly while his muscles twitched and jumped beneath my fingers. To elicit this strong of a reaction from such a well-controlled predator- one that could easily rip me limb from limb as if I were mere tissue paper made me feel... _powerful_.

I grabbed the underside of his helmet and jerked his face closer and growled, "Take the damn helmet off!"

The growl that reverberated in his chest was nothing short of menacing as he practically yanked the stupid thing off. It dropped out of sight and his mandibles flared with a guttural roar. My pulse leaped at the fierce sound. Heat pooled in my lower belly as my core clenched. Shadow drew in a ragged breath and I realized he was breathing me in, scenting me. The animalistic behavior stoking the desire within me. My toes dangled a foot off the ground so I made good use of them and wrapped my legs around him, letting him feel the fire he'd caused and felt his cock pulse against my covered entrance in response. My breath shuddered out of me as he leaned over and turned my head to expose my neck. His serpentine tongue slithered out from between his mandibles and brushed against my jugular. Tasting me.

I whimpered, body rolling against him in response. The shaft of his penis scorched my skin as my fingers tried in vain to wrap completely around it. He growled, hands gripping hard enough that his claws punctured the skin but I barely felt it against the waves of heavy lust and the overwhelming need for him to fuck me.

Shadow's fingers slipped under the top of my pants and I trembled, waiting for the sound of tearing of fabric. It didn't happen and I swallowed thickly, trying to swim against the onslaught of desire as I realized Shadow had frozen. Alarm chased away the lust and my body tensed for a completely different reason. Something was wrong.

Shadow's head tilted to the side, neck muscles straining, trilling angrily beneath his breath. His mandibles flared out and a growl of real anger rumbled in his chest.

"Shadow?" My voice was low and breathy as I spoke. "What is it?"

"Hunted." Without the aid of the helmet, his voice was even raspier, like boulders grinding together as he tried to speak in the human tongue.

"We're being hunted?"

His yellow orbs snapped back to me and the look of rage on his face made me shiver. "Tesssa is hunted."

Alarmed, my brows rose, "I'm being hunted?"

He nodded.

"Another Yautja hunter?"

He growled which I took as an obvious yes.

"Fuck!"

Between the forcibly pent up arousal and the anger, my muscles twitched convulsively. I wanted this prick dead. I was sick and tired of being hunted. A frustrated growl built in my throat. The subtlest movement drew my gaze back up to my mates and I swallowed, heart tripping over itself as he practically devoured me with his eyes and I realized my anger was a turn on.

A devilish smile curved my lips and I loved the way he tensed as I tightened my legs around him. "Shadow, you talked to me a little about the Yautja clans and their hierarchy the other day. So, what happens if he continues to hunt me?"

"His life is forfeit!" He barely got the words out around a snarly growl, mandibles flaring in anger.

"Will he continue to hunt me? Even if he learns of our mate bond?"

He let out a roar that shook the earth beneath us. Shadow jerked away and I barely managed to catch myself before hitting the ground. He paced away from me, moving back and forth like a caged beast. Suddenly his body lowered, legs wide apart and arms spread. A very aggressive posture and I took the bloodlust burning in his yellow orbs as my answer.

I licked my lips. My own twisted thrill of the hunt had me pressed against my mate, feeling utterly wild and lost in the instinctual drive to make him mine. I pressed my hands against his chest and dug my nails into the flesh. The low rumble in resonating in his massive chest was both a warning and an invitation. On tiptoes, I stretched myself up and managed to nip his collarbone and in a whispering purr I said, "Let's go hunting."

* * *

 **A/N:** **Hope everyone enjoyed the update. Sorry for any mistakes. I know it's late but I'm having trouble writing the ending. Only two more planned chapters left. Eventually, it will be rewritten, simply because there are a lot of mistakes that need correcting and I missed out on some epic build up. But the rewrite is on the back burner, it'll come after a couple different stories. Thank you, everyone!**

 **Tarei hsan: insect or unworthy opponent**

 **Kiande Amedha: hard meat**

 **Ooman: human**

 **Paya: God**

 **Pauk: Fuck**


	18. Chapter 18

**Hunt**

 **Shadow's POV**

The hunter stalked the dawn, his leaps from branch to branch controlled and quiet despite his heavy build and the intensity of his anger. Halkrath accepted his fate he understood that taking Tessa as his mate, meant being ostracized from his kin, but he would not suffer fools who labeled him a Bad Blood. For three days, the Elite hunter stalked them, giving him ample time to learn that Halkrath had claimed Tessa as his. And by continuing to hunt them, it meant this Elite had decided Halkrath was a Bad Blood. Halkrath expected this reaction from some of the clans- hell even from his own clan, but it still angered him to be put on the same level as those dishonorable wretches. And for what? Because his mate happened to be ooman?

Halkrath growled, and the natural din of the woods fell silent. He did not like the reasoning behind the Elites motives and he would take great pleasure in reclaiming not only his honor but his mates. Killing the Elite would send a clear message and would discourage a lot of others from hunting them, but Halkrath knew it would not end here.

The wind swept through the trees and Halkrath paused in his stride to take a collective breath. Halkrath had closed his eyes, anticipating one scent in particular that would help calm the anger stirring in his chest but when Tessa's scent did not fill his lungs, the hunter snapped to attention.

He took another breath, deeper this time and instantly felt a surge of apprehension. Halkrath crouched on the branch he perched on and mentally backtracked. He should've been able to scent her, despite the distance they put between each other in an effort to draw out the Elite. The wind had changed directionality a few times and he adjusted accordingly in order to keep tabs on his mate. He would never willingly put Tessa in danger but in order to trap their pursuer they purposely distanced themselves. Far enough away that it appeared they'd strayed by accident but still close enough that Halkrath could react the moment the Elite made his presence known.

Something was very, very wrong. The wrongness settled in Halkrath bones and caused his protective instincts to go on a rampage. Abruptly he stood and started back in the opposite direction. The instinctual desire to protect Tessa made it extremely difficult to keep his wits about him and not make foolish decisions. He wanted to roar and rage through the forest but did not want to draw attention to himself. A good hunter kept everything in check whether it's his emotions or instincts, but Halkrath had never been mated before and the compulsion to kill everything separating him from Tessa was almost too much to ignore.

It wasn't until the hunter backtracked half a mile that he caught Tessa's scent and with it the world filled with a red haze. Halkrath had known his mate was cunning, even reckless, but he never thought she would do something as foolish as disobey him. A pang of betrayal raced through him at the undeniable evidence. For all his years as a seasoned hunter, Halkrath rarely found any prey challenging when it came to tracking them, but his mate survived on this dead rock for years by herself and with it came a skill set of evading detection. He remembered hunting her for the first time all those months ago and couldn't help the small amount of pride he felt at how well she eluded him. Now she was doing it again, but this time to do something Halkrath thought to be idiotic and suicidal.

Halkrath growled menacingly, his mate was out there, alone with a predator who saw her as nothing more than a trophy to collect. He scented the air, he could still track her but the false trails would make it difficult. If she got herself killed...

A guttural snarl ripped from his chest and echoed through the trees. He would not forgive her for this.

* * *

 **TK POV**

 _Shadow's gonna kill me._

A shiver accompanied the sudden thought, and I felt a twinge of regret squeeze my heart. Honestly, I hadn't meant to deceive him, but when you've been lone wolfing it as long as I have the idea of _submitting_ to someone, even if that someone is your mate, you instinctively want to rebel.

However, I was under no illusions. This idea was crazier than shooting a Xenomorph with a potato gun. Which, by the way, is hilarious, but a good way to end up dead. I survived the encounter, but I also sported several scars from that hairbrained idea.

 _The universal equivalent of the boogieman is hunting you, and you decide to take him alone... bloody brilliant TK._

It was stupid, I admit it, but this Predator had crossed the line. I'm used to being hunted. If a day ever came I wasn't being hunted then it meant I was already dead. But this particular hunter, who by the way makes Jaws and Red look like chumps in comparison, decided to hunt my mate as well. I'm new to the whole mated thing, and I was a bit taken aback by the sheer rage that hit me when I learned Shadow had been deemed a Bad Blood because... because of me.

Apparently mating a ooman made Shadow a Bad Blood in the eyes of _some_ of the clans. Bad Bloods being a collective phrase for all Yautja who were viewed as criminals or dishonored. Scum. They are never permitted back into the Yautja society and are to be killed on sight.

Determination set my jaw and had me clenching my fists. I knew exactly what I wanted his clan to see. I wanted them to see one of their Elites brought down by a human. Let them know I was a worthy mate for one of their own kind and hopefully, make them think twice before coming after us again. Of course, the plan could also backfire but I was hoping the strict codes of honor they lived by would prevent this. Human or not if I killed a Yautja fair, and square, and survived, they would have to acknowledge that I too was an honorable warrior.

Crazed butterflies beat their wings against my insides in a twisted mix of excitement and fear. The thrill of the hunt took on a wild edge I've never quite experienced before and I realized it was because of Shadow. Never in my life have I felt the need to impress someone or show off my skill. Shadow deserved a strong mate. He'd already seen me defeated once. I didn't want him to think of me as this fragile thing to protect. I wanted him to trust me at his back. The scales were always gonna be tipped in his favor when it came to speed and strength, but I am cunning and tenacious. I've taken on creatures ten times my size and no matter how bloody or bruised I refused to give in. Not until my adversary was defeated.

Ghostly fingers of awareness caressed my senses. Outwardly I showed no signs of alarm and continued carefully picking my way through the brush. Surreptitiously I eyed my surroundings beneath my lashes, looking for better coverage because the glade offered no protection what-so-ever. Several yards ahead there was a path that led in between the base of a mountain, however, I wasn't sure if being surrounded by several tons of rock was better than being out in the open.

Ares rested against my lower back and I itched to grab it. I stifled the urge. Paranoia would get me killed faster than anything. The sensation of being watched had fled just as quickly as it had come. The Yautja are very good at being invisible. You see them only if they want you too and if they don't well... you'll never see them coming.

I paused in stride, cradling my right arm and flexing it to relieve the tension. Between Shadows blood and my own whacked out DNA, the acid burn had healed but the muscles jumped and twitched oddly and I considered the possibility of nerve damage. I clenched my fist. One miss step and Mr. CB, aka the cockblocker, would be ripping my spine out. If for some reason I couldn't hold Ares then I stood no chance of winning. I hid my discomfort, knowing full well that I was probably being watched.

I dropped my arm and stared at the path into the mountains. Thoughts whirring in my head. After ditching my mate, I myself ended up hopelessly lost but I knew for certain that this path would take me even further away from the original choke point. I licked suddenly very dry lips. By now, my mate has seen through my deception, meaning I wouldn't get very much alone time with Mr. CB.

Without hesitation, I headed for the mountains. Honestly, after hunting me for all those weeks Shadow, should've known not to trust me and he'll probably skin me alive for my deception but I couldn't allow this opportunity to pass.

...

Sunlight found a break in the clouds and made the river I walked through glitter and shimmer like thousands of diamonds. The ankle deep water was cool, the smooth rocks and mud soothing to my poor feet. I still needed new boots, running around barefoot hurt.

Shading my eyes, I glanced up at the sky in an attempt to gauge the time. If Mr. CB didn't come out of hiding soon my chances of going mano a mano with him were shot to hell.

Dark angry clouds shut out the light once again and slapped me with a brisk wind in warning of its oncoming tantrum. Lightning streaked across the sky and I froze as something in my periphery glimmered. Slowly I turned, eyes narrowing and sliding up an outcropping of red rock. The hackles along the back of my neck began to rise and I gazed at the spot in confusion finding nothing was there. Yet the apprehension grew. The instinctual understanding that something much bigger than you was out there. Watching. Waiting. I stared at the rocky point, my hand already going for Ares. Lightning lit up the sky in the backdrop and a shape shimmered. The light bending around it.

Ares was in my hands and I lowered my body mass in a defensive stance. Having been spotted the figure stood from its crouched position with a few audible clicks. The sound of those clicks sent a jolt of adrenaline straight to my heart and it beat the same way a cornered rabbits did. I took a breath, calming it's loping pace back into a trot. Fear is healthy. It keeps us alive but too much of it and you're likely to back yourself into a corner and make yourself an easy target.

The Predator remained cloaked which made it extremely hard to focus on him. Quite honestly if he didn't decloak then I might as well slit my own throat for him. At least then I'd kill his fun.

The Predator made an eerily satisfied noise in the back of his throat. I stiffened. The slits of his helmet flashed red and three dots in a triangular pattern traveled the length of my body until they settled over my heart.

I smirked. If he just simply shot me then there was no challenge. He was gauging my reaction, maybe even hoping I'd run. So I did the exact opposite. I stood my ground and held Ares beside me at the ready. He trilled softly, sounding surprised and the cloak shimmered as he lowered himself back into a crouch.

The smirk on my lips grew taunting. I had him. With my free hand, I reached out and made a 'bring it on' motion. Stupid I know but this guy wanted a good fight. The gesture annoyed him and the low rumbling chuckle he emitted sounded far more threatening than if he'd growled.

"Hulij-bpe, tarei hsan pyode amedha," he rumbled. His voice, though just as deep as Shadows, had a scratchy edge to it. Irritating the eardrum as if a pesky bug buzzed alongside it.

Absently I rubbed my ear, glowering at the figure as I did so.

 _I'm guessing that's Yautja speak for 'You're so pretty, let's be friends!'_

He snarled.

 _Or not._

The hunters cloaked silhouette shimmered and disappeared.

I blink. _Holy shit he move-_

The water splashed in front of me a split second too fast for me to react. A heavy fist connected with my chest and I heard a sickening crack before the momentum sent me pinwheeling through the water. Air lodged itself in my throat as I bit down on a scream. The pain was intense but I didn't dare get distracted.

I got to my feet in the knee length water and had a sudden moment of clarity, remembering my fight with Jaws and Red. I'd lost the fight but I'd gained precious nuggets of information. Water seems to reek havoc on their cloaking devices. Maybe if I kept forcing him to come to me while in the river, the field would eventually fail.

Pain, sharp as a blade, cut up my insides with each ragged breath. A cracked rib or two for sure but I felt fairly confident they weren't broken.

 _He'd held back._

I scowled. But why? Why would he need to hold back?

I searched for the cloaked figure but had no idea where he'd gone. I spun slowly, holding Ares close to my chest.

 _Shadow..._ Understanding hit me hard and bathed me in molten rage.

"You're trying to draw out my mate," I said through gritted teeth. Hackles bristled and shaking like a rattlesnake's tail. I spun, thinking I heard the subtlest of growls but it could've been the wind. "It won't work."

It would work and Mr. CB knew it. Damn, I'm an idiot.

"Ic'jit."

My hands flexed, I understood that taunt.

"My mate is not a Bad Blood," I said fiercely. The drive to protect my mate chased away the pain and the fear, leaving me with a single minded goal.

 _I'm going to kill you mother fucker._

The hunter snarled and it echoed off the mountain walls. Instinct beckoned to me and I went down in an awkward crouch just as water splashed my face and I heard a blade sing just over my head. I threw myself backward, falling into deeper waters. The hunter roared, barely making a splash as he moved towards me but at least I had directionality and knew where he was coming from. I am not the strongest swimmer. Xenomorphs moved better in the water than they do on land so I generally stayed out of it. Hopefully the same couldn't be said for a Yautja.

I waded deeper, water chest high now. The rippling effect of his movement stopped and I barely managed to make out his cloaked silhouette before he leaped out of the water. He must've figured out my ploy.

The three-dot laser sight landed on my chest again and I swallowed as it moved over the surface of the water in front of me.

 _Oh... SHIT!_

I dove beneath the water and kicked like my life depended on it because it did. An energy blast hit a second later, the heat of it scorched my legs but its power had been muted by the waters depth. Several more shots were fired into the river, stirring up the sediment and making it almost impossible to surface. I was pounded with wave after wave like I'd been dropped in the middle of a tsunami. Panic stole over me when I had no idea which way was up or down but another shot boomed above my head and I knew where sweet air waited to fill my burning lungs but I couldn't surface.

Somehow I hadn't lost Ares and I used the spear to push off the bottom and shove me further away from where the shots had been focused. I kept going, even as my head began to spin from lack of oxygen. Eventually, I touched the bottom again and eased my way slowly up, hoping like hell the Predator wouldn't notice. I breached the surface and controlled the instinctual desire to just gasp and gulp down air. I took slow even breaths through my nose, keeping the rest of my body beneath the now cloudy water. The energy charges had torn up the river bed giving me a great deal of camouflage.

 _Camouflage..._ I smiled.

Crawling up on the bank, I covered myself in the freshly turned earth. Cold and gritty, it clung to me like a slimy second skin and I bathed in it until every speck of white flesh was covered. Carefully, I rose up out of the reeds I'd been hiding behind and searched for the shimmer of his cloaked form. Unsurprisingly, I didn't spot him but then again he hadn't spotted me either. The mud seemed to be hiding my heat signature, something I learned from my experience with Red. But then again Red had fought without the bio-mask, and I had no idea how those things worked.

The turbulent river eventual calmed and I crouched low, taking shallow breaths. I picked up a palm sized rock and kept my eyes trained on the area in front of me as I tossed it behind me. It splashed somewhere out of sight and the breath in my lungs froze as I heard a series of soft clicks.

A creature of his size shouldn't be allowed to move without sound but he did and the only reason I noticed him was because he passed right in front of me. The world bent oddly for a second and I blinked at the optical illusion then ceased breathing. The Predator had passed within a foot of me. Close enough I felt the air current he created and the scent of his leathery hide.

With my eyes, I followed the weird waves of his stealth field by looking past him and not directly at him. It helped that he was walking and not moving with that blinding speed all Yautja seem to be capable of. He stalked near the water's edge like a crocodile waiting to drown its unsuspecting prey. Yautja are heavy, each weighing anywhere from five to seven hundred pounds from what I've gathered. Meaning even though I'm stronger than the average human there's no way I could tackle him into the water.

 _Maybe if I grab his dreads?_

Recalling Shadows reaction, I'd say those fleshy appendages were highly sensitive. Like the equivalent of kicking a guy in the balls if I yanked hard enough.

The Predator suddenly stopped and every cell in my body froze over as he spun back in my direction. He roared. I grabbed Ares off the ground just as he collided with me and we both went into the water. He threw me far enough that I couldn't touch bottom and I struggled, trying to hold Ares at the same time. The mud washed off me but apparently he could see me just fine now, meaning I'd lost one of the few advantages I had. The water splashed around him as he waded in and the cloak crackled with blue sparks and failed a moment later.

My eyes widened and some of the earlier fear returned. He was bigger than Shadow. At least eight and a half feet of towering Yautja muscle stood knee deep in the river. His massive chest flexed, heavily corded arms as thick around as small tree trunks stretched out as he roared at me. The bio-mask he wore was adorned with the distinctive mandible bones and tusks of another Yautja. His dark, scaly hide, was mottled in deep black and vibrant reds. And in his hands, he held a double bladed weapon. The very same type Shadow had used to kill the other two Yautja. A maul. The blades were wide, serrated on one side and a finely honed edge on the other that hooked around at the end in a crescent shape. Intimidating as all hell.

I'll admit the hope of winning began to shrivel but giving up would be cowardice and I still had a point to prove. This Predator wanted to hurt me and use me to lure my mate into a trap. I'd kill myself before I let it get that far.

 _Better think fast!_

Wading in the water took its toll and my legs were starting to cramp. And I wondered vaguely if he'd let me drown. Probably.

Mr. CB spun the blade around and attached it to his back. Gaze focused on me, he waded into the water then pushed off the bottom into a full swim.

My eyes widened. I was so gonna die.

Taking a breath, I plunged down into the murky depths until I hit the bottom. I felt the movement of the water. Felt him dive down after me and screamed, air escaping my lungs in a rush as he grabbed my ankle and sunk his claws in. I kicked out and stubbed my toes as they connected with his bio-mask.

 _Son of a bitch!_

I jerked back, stretching myself out. He yanked and I brought Ares inline with my body. The dual blade sunk into flesh and he roared, the sound dulled by the water but still managed to be just as terrifying.

 _Get out of the damn river!_

I found his helmet with my feet just as his other hand wrapped around my calf and kicked off with all my might. He lost his purchase on me and I kicked backward as hard as I could. Legs pumping, I breached the surface and he did the same a moment after. I kicked away but his reach is over half my body length and he managed to grab a flailing foot. He yanked me to him. My shoulders hit steely flesh and those thick arms held me to him, squeezing the breath from my lungs.

I felt the moment his feet found purchase and he dragged me up and out of the water with him.

 _Awesome, TK! Now your gonna die in the most painful way he can think of!_

My brain conjured up the image of a snake wrapping a mouse in its body and squeezing it to death.

 _Thanks for the simile!_

I struggled harder. I really did not want to be that mouse but the correlation was hard to ignore. The thought of Shadow getting caught up in this assholes game and possibly getting hurt had me shaking with rage. How could I have been so stupid? Pride. I'd done this out of sheer bullheadedness to prove I could be an equal. To prove I wasn't weak. Kind of hard to disprove a point if you're dead.

Hot tears sprung to my eyes and I hated myself for it. I just didn't want his clan to think he made a mistake.

 _Idiot..._

I kicked and my heel connected with something metallic that had an odd give to it. The Predator sucked in a breath and growled, arms flexing hard in warning. I'd hit something sensitive and I had a pretty good idea what it was. With every ounce of force I could muster I swung my heel back and hit the metallic codpiece covering his dangly bits.

His roar thundered in my ear, the menacing sound vibrated every cell inside me. The Predator did not drop me, no, he fucking threw me. I gasped in shock but managed to pivot myself and land on the balls of my feet. Still sliding from the momentum, I dug my hands into the earth and finally stopped in an awkward crouch. My breaths came in ragged pants and I noticed just how close I came to becoming a stain on the side of the mountain. So close my shaking form brushed the solid rock with every deep inhale.

Squinting from the pain and the strenuous fight, I found Mr. CB standing a few yards in front of me. Standing. Apparently, I hadn't racked his balls hard enough to send him to his knees. He did look fucking pissed on the other hand. Staring at him, I felt the bitter sting of being small. Much, much, much, _smaller_. It doesn't affect how I fight but it sure was daunting to take in his entire form.

He clicked furiously while stalking towards me with deliberate slowness. I gritted my teeth in a silent snarl and gripped Ares- Ares! I'd lost the spear. Desperately I searched for it and the world teetered as I spotted it on the river bank.

 _I'm fucked._

My eyes flicked up to meet the black soulless slits in his mask and I shivered. Death would not be swift. I fell back on my butt, shoulders digging into the mountain as if I could slip inside it. Defiant, I tipped my chin up and stared straight into the blacked out slits. He loomed over me, stopping when his powerful legs were on either side of me and dropped into a crouch so fast I smacked the back of my head against the rock to try and pull away.

Phosphorus green blood oozed from a wound in his shoulder and I couldn't help the small smirk of triumph. He growled and took hold of my slim neck in his hand. A humorless chuckle burst from my lips and the Predator cocked his head. How dumb was I to take on a creature who hunted Xenomorphs for a workout? Really, really, fucking dumb. There is no equal footing here.

His fingers dug in and I choked. My hands searched the ground in desperation. Giving up and showing my belly isn't in my nature. No matter the odds. My fingers found a smooth surface with a sharp point in the dirt.

His dreads curtained around my head, brushing my shoulders as he leaned in. He took in a breath though it was impossible to tell what he was thinking until he final spoke.

"Pa-thetic ooooman," he rasped. Voice low and sinister as though he were the devil himself.

I gritted my teeth, "This _human_ made you bleed."

The hand around my throat tightened and I struggled to breathe.

"Call for Halkrath, ooman." He flexed his hand again, leaning in until the tusks attached to his mask scratched my face. "Scream for _mate_ , ooman!"

My lids narrowed and I gave him my best go fuck yourself look. He yanked me up as if to hit me and I smashed the jagged end of the stone in my grip right into the weak point of the mask. The black slit shattered and he roared, rearing back but not before I felt the stone sink into flesh. Bracing myself against the solid wall of rock behind me I wrenched my legs between us and shoved at his chest. He only drew back a step, releasing my throat as he did so, and I tucked and rolled right between his legs. Being small did have some advantages.

I went for Ares. The spear was my only chance. I heard the whine of his shoulder cannon and threw myself on the ground. The energy blast sailed over my head, its heat scoring my back. I darted a quick look over my shoulder and my eyes went impossibly wide as he stood over me, brandishing the maul. Ares was way out of reach and the maul swung down in a deadly arc intent on taking my head.

Metal hitting metal clanged and vibrated right up against my eardrum. A deep, ferocious snarl broke through the pounding beat of blood in my ears and my eyes snapped open to find the maul blade hovering within an inch of my nose. Two serrated blades held the maul at bay and I stared stupidly for a moment before I finally registered my mate crouched over me. The two Yautja roared at one another. Shadow thrust the maul away with his wrist blades and bent over me like a snarling wolf.

Mr. CB twirled the maul and took up a ready stance but I barely registered this as I stared up in awe of Shadow. Holy fuck that had been amazing.

 _And terrifying! I nearly wet myself... wait did I piss myself?!_

A subtle shift told me I hadn't but the movement drew Shadows attention to me. For a split second, I saw his bright yellow orbs through the slits before they went solid black and I swallowed. In that single, solitary moment I saw the promise of death. My death. Shadow was going to make me regret crossing him. It sent a sliver of icy fear sliding down my spine. Along with a bizarre twist of anticipation. The thrill caught me off guard. I had no idea I was secretly a masochist then again Shadow tended to bring out the wild side of me.

"Ui'stbi ic'jit!" Mr. CB snarled.

The growl rumbling in Shadows chest was nothing short of predatory. Slowly the heat of his gaze left me and I released a breath I hadn't known I'd been holding. Shadow stayed bowed over me, muscles trembling with the force it took him to stay in control. I so would not want to be Mr. CB right about now.

My mate stared up at the other Yautja and spoke in a deceptively calm purr, "M-di h'chak."

I shivered. The threat clear even if it hadn't been spoken in English.

The other Yautja snarled, throwing his arms wide and roared. It echoed off the mountain and shook the ground. Shadow slowly stood, unimpressed and unafraid. He stepped in front of me, the strapping muscles of his back tensed beneath the dark brindle skin. Mr. CB unhooked his mask and I experienced a brief moment of pure satisfaction at the phosphorus blood trailing from the wound just under his eye.

Shadow copied the other males movements and relieved himself of his mask, dropping it next to my leg.

"Tessssa..."

My eyes jerked to my mates broad back and again I was hit with the freaky twist of fear and anticipation. Shadow was addressing the other Yautja as much as he was me.

"... is _mine_!"

The possessive claim left me breathless but it didn't impress the other male. Snarling, the bigger Yautja moved and my brain barely registered the speed in which Shadow had used to counter it. The two alien gladiators hit one another with enough force to make the earth tremble, and a scatter of rocks fell from the mountain.

 _Shadow!_

* * *

 **A/N:** **OMG I'm sorry it took so long for the update! I rewrote this chapter so much I can't see straight! Ugh! Sorry for mistakes! Hope it was worth the wait and hopefully, everyone enjoyed it. Working on the final chapter now!**

 **Hulij-bpe, tarei hsan pyode amedha:** **Crazy, unworthy soft meat.**

 **Ic'jit: Bad Blood**

 **Ui'stbi: Abomination**

 **M-di h'chak: No Mercy**


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